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WASHINGTON — The White House declared for the second day in a row Monday that there would be no public appearances by President Biden — moments after the State Department confirmed that at least 11 US citizens are among the more than 900 killed by Hamas terrorists during their weekend attack on Israel.

President Biden last spoke about the war on camera Saturday afternoon, hours after the terror group swept into Israeli towns from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, slaughtering residents and concert-goers and abducting dozens of Israelis and foreigners.

Biden, 80, had no public events booked for either Sunday or Monday and faced ridicule Sunday night when his press office confirmed he was hosting a barbecue for his staff with a live band despite the international crisis.

Monday is federally recognized as Columbus Day, so no events such as a daily White House briefing had been expected, though it was possible to change course and hold one.

The White House later issued a note saying that Biden met Monday morning with members of his national security team and would “be speaking with several of our close allies about the latest developments in Israel” in the afternoon.

“For those unfamiliar, a ‘lid’ is just a courtesy announcement to reporters that they should not expect public events,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said on X, formerly Twitter. “A lid does not mean the President has stopped working … On the contrary, he’s working to support Israel all day.”

Shortly after 4 p.m., the White House issued a paper statement attributed to Biden that confirmed at least 11 Americans were among the dead — and acknowledged US citizens were “likely” among the 150 reported to be held hostage by Hamas.

Biden said Saturday in a three-minute-long speech that “when I spoke with [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu this morning, I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of this terrorist assaults.”

The president took no questions after his statement.


  President Biden is facing criticism for his lack of public appearances and hosting a barbecue for staff following the attack. ZUMAPRESS.com President Biden is facing criticism for his lack of public appearances and hosting a barbecue for staff following the attack. ZUMAPRESS.com

Biden’s own actions have come under mounting criticism as Iran’s role in funding, planning and approving the attack has emerged.

Biden in August began the process of unlocking $6 billion in funds — ostensibly for humanitarian use — for Iran as part of a September prisoner swap.

Critics said the funds freed up Iran to increase the flow of funding for regional terrorist groups, though Biden allies insist that’s untrue.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas since August to scheme up the surprise attack and Iranian officials gave the final green light Oct. 2 during a meeting held in Beirut, senior members of Hamas and the Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah told the Wall Street Journal Sunday.


  A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on October 8, 2023. AFP via Getty Images A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on October 8, 2023. AFP via Getty Images

Syrian and European government sources also confirmed Iran’s role in the rampage to The Journal, though the Biden administration has yet to do so.

“This terrorism is funded by Biden’s idiotic release of $6 billion to the Iranians. The Hamas war against Israel is now the second war started under Biden’s failed presidency,” tweeted former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

Former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a rematch against Biden, wrote, “THE HORRIBLE ATTACK ON ISRAEL, MUCH LIKE THE ATTACK ON UKRAINE, WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE PRESIDENT – ZERO CHANCE!”

It’s unclear whether Biden, 80, will at some point make a symbolic visit to Israel or to a US venue of importance to Israelis to mark the tragedy.

Biden’s re-election campaign recently cut ads featuring footage of his February visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, to depict him as a hands-on commander-in-chief.

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