The American hostage cell in Israel assisted in the effort to rescue the four hostages freed from Hamas captivity on Saturday, according to a US official cited by Walla’s Barak Ravid.
Additionally, the New York Times reported that the United States had provided intelligence to Israel about the hostages before the operation.
According to the Times, American and British intelligence collection and analysis teams have been operating in Israel to assist Israeli intelligence throughout the course of the war.
‘Accomplice of America’
Hamas later responded to the reports, criticizing Washington for participating in Israel’s effort to recover the hostages.
“[El informe] demonstrates once again the complicit role of the US administration and its full participation in the war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas declared.
“We call on our Arab and Islamic people, and the free peoples of the world, to exert more pressure and intensify the movement denouncing the aggression and genocide in Gaza,” added the Islamist terrorist organization.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has not yet commented on any involvement it may have had in the hostage rescue operation in Israel.
However, President Biden did celebrate the return of the four hostages during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, adding that the United States was working toward the release of the hostages still in captivity.
“We will not stop working until all the hostages return home and a ceasefire is achieved,” Biden said.
Later, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a statement regarding the Israeli rescue operation stating that the United States was involved in efforts to secure the release of the hostages.
“The United States is supporting all efforts to release hostages still held by Hamas, including American citizens,” Sullivan wrote. “This includes through ongoing negotiations or other means.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
