The “Gang of Eight” — a term used to describe bipartisan members of Congress who were first briefed on intelligence matters — on Sunday night about Hamas militant attacks in Central and Southern Israel, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
Confirmed by Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., briefed X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday night.
“I was briefed tonight by senior national security and State Department officials in the Biden administration. The brutality and brutality of this unprecedented attack from Hamas targeting innocent civilians—children, family, seniors—is overwhelming and heartbreaking,” Schumer wrote in X .
“I asked representatives of our Department of Defense if they are giving Israel everything they need, and I was heartened that they said yes and that they are stepping up support,” Schumer said in a statement. “I asked them if they rejected any demands made by Israel, and they said no. I urged them to make sure Israel has everything it needs to protect itself, and reiterated that the Senate is prepared to deliver additional need.”
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill after returning from a meeting on the debt ceiling at the White House, on May 16, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
At the time, department representatives told members of congress that four Americans were dead. By Monday morning, that number had risen to nine, State Department spokesman Matt Miller told MSNBC. More is expected to emerge as Israel’s official declaration of war comes on Sunday.
“I told the senators that we will try to conduct a classified briefing that they will receive in their states as soon as possible so that we can get additional details that cannot be disclosed on this call,” Schumer added.
Acting Deputy Toria Nuland and acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker were also briefed.
Other members invited to the briefing include the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Also included are the Subcommittees on Defense and on Foreign Operations.
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Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
The updated death toll comes as Israeli media say at least 800 people have been killed in the Hamas attack, with more than 2,000 wounded. More than 100 people were also taken hostage by the terrorists when they launched the surprise attack on Saturday. Israeli soldiers, grandmothers, babies and teenagers are all victims of hostage-taking.
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A salvo of rockets was fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza as an Israeli missile launched from the Iron Dome defense missile system attempted to intercept rockets, fired from the Gaza Strip, over the southern city of Netivot Israel on Oct. 8, 2023. (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Thousands of rockets were launched into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip as Hamas terrorists announced “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” and called on Palestinians from Jerusalem to Israel to attack Israelis.
Anders Hagstrom of Fox News contributed to this report.
