White House aide John Kirby choked up Monday on CNN’s “The Lead” while discussing the horrifying images of the Hamas terror attacks in Israel.
Kirby said, “The barbaric attacks, they are just off the charts in terms of the violence that they have visited upon innocent Israeli civilians, people going about their lives and going to a music festival.”
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “We were just told that the number of Americans killed was updated to 11. It was nine at the beginning of our conversation. It is now 11. Do we have any idea how any of these Americans were killed?”
Kirby said, “No, I don’t think we have specific details on how tragically these Americans lost their lives. We are in touch with families.”
Tapper said, “I mean the images of children kidnapped, of young women who have been abducted, who have blood in their pants because they have been presumably repeatedly raped. It has been horrifying. There has been a lot of death and destruction in that region, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Choking to hold back tears, Kirby said, “I’m sorry. It is very, excuse me, it is very difficult to look at these images, Jake, of the human cost. These are human beings. They have family members, friends and loved ones and, cousins and brothers and sisters. Yeah, it is difficult. I apologize.”
Tapper said, “Nothing to say sorry for.”
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