Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) urged President Joe Biden in a letter on Thursday to use American special forces to help rescue at least 14 American hostages from Hamas.
Cotton wrote to Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a letter obtained by Breitbart News, “National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said today that at least 14 American citizens are unaccounted for after Hamas attacked Israel last weekend. Some of these missing Americans are presumed to be hostages of the Hamas terrorists.”
The Arkansas senator said that the United States has special forces that can help rescue Americans taken hostage:
The United States has special-operations forces specially trained in hostage rescue, and these forces are already in Israel to assist with intelligence and planning efforts. I urge you to use these elite warriors in a hands-on role to rescue the American hostages. Nothing can be taken for chance. Israel is our closest partner, but the safety of American citizens is the responsibility of the United States government.
We have a duty to act, including with the use of force if necessary to save our fellow Americans. Now is the time for bold and audacious action, not timid half measures or bureaucratic constraints. I’m confident the American people will support its government in all actions necessary to rescue these Americans from the savages in Gaza.
Reports suggest that Islamist Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is attempting to negotiate the release of the hostages.
Israel has demanded the release of the hostages and said that Gaza should not expect to see water or electricity until Hamas assents.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the death toll of Americans killed by Hamas in Israel has risen to 25.
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Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
