The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with Israel and security agencies to find Americans who haven’t been accounted for and determine if any were kidnapped following the attacks on Israel from the militant group Hamas.
(Bloomberg) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with Israel and security agencies to find Americans who haven’t been accounted for and determine if any were kidnapped following the attacks on Israel from the militant group Hamas.
“FBI personnel are working with our partners on the ground to locate and identify any impacted Americans,” the bureau said in a statement Monday. “Reports of deceased, injured, or missing Americans are being treated with the utmost urgency and aggressively investigated.”
The bureau added that it didn’t have “specific and credible intelligence” at this point indicating a direct threat to the US arising from the attacks, which have shaken Israel and its allies.
President Joe Biden said at least 11 American citizens have died and “it is likely” that others were being held hostage by Hamas following the attacks that began Saturday. It’s believed that more than 900 mostly civilian Israelis have been killed so far while more than 600 Palestinians have died in retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip.
Read More: Hamas Threatens to Kill Israeli Hostages as Rhetoric Escalates
The FBI maintains a legal attache office in Israel while the bureau’s victim services division is coordinating with the US State Department “to assist, as necessary, with family engagement,” according to the statement.
“We are closely monitoring unfolding events and will share relevant information with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security partners to ensure they are prepared for any impacts to public safety,” the FBI said. “We will not hesitate to adjust our security posture, as appropriate, to protect the American people.”
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