Biden Reports ‘Terrorists Beheading Children’ – Rolling Stone

President Joe Biden addressed a roundtable of Jewish community leaders at the White House on Wednesday, calling the Hamas attack “the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust” and confirming reports of “terrorists beheading children.”

The president called the attack an act of “sheer evil,” and emphasized his administration’s support for Israel amid its war with Hamas and efforts.

“It is important for Americans to see what is happening. I have been doing this for a long time. I never really thought that I would see, have confirmed, pictures of terrorists beheading children,” Biden said. “Downplaying Hamas’s atrocities and blaming the Jewish people is unthinkable,” he added.

Biden also said that the U.S. was sending experts to “advise and assist with recovery efforts,” but did not specify any strategies regarding the hostages. During a press briefing before the roundtable, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the U.S. death toll in the war rose to 22, and added that 17 Americans remained unaccounted for.

“I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home. But the idea that I’m going to stand here before you and tell you what I’m doing is bizarre,” the president said.

The Israel Defense Forces have yet to confirm the claim that Hamas beheaded babies during the attack over the weekend. A spokesperson for the military told The Intercept on Tuesday that they could not confirm the horrific claim.

“Women, children, toddlers, and elderly were brutally butchered in an ISIS way of action and we are we are [sic] aware of the heinous acts Hamas is capable of,” the spokesperson wrote in response to questions from the outlet. In the follow-up call, she reiterated: “We cannot confirm it officially, but you can assume it happened and believe the report.”