Statement by Ron DeSantis on Americans Killed in Israel

"We must not only stand with Israel, but we must support them as they hunt down and eradicate these barbarians."

Tallahassee, FL - Ron DeSantis today released a statement following reports that nine Americans have been killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks. DeSantis also called for three immediate steps the United States should take in response.

"One of our greatest allies, Israel, has been attacked by terrorists funded by Iran– with over 800 Israelis murdered and 2,000 injured. The scenes of brutality are hard to watch. Innocent men, women, children, and the elderly.

And we learned this morning that among these victims are at least nine American citizens killed and others likely missing or taken hostage.

Hamas committed these acts for two simple reasons: they hate the Jewish people, and they are evil cowards. They were empowered by Joe Biden's appeasement of Iran and a desire to ruin further normalization of ties within the Arab world with Israel.

We must not only stand with Israel, but we must support them as they hunt down and eradicate these barbarians.

Israel, with the full support of the United States, should kill Hamas members and extinguish their entire infrastructure.

And right now, America must immediately do three things: (i) freeze any money Joe Biden has made available to Iran; (ii) cut off any and all types of foreign aid flowing to Hamas; and (iii) immediately shut down America's wide-open southern border to ensure we are in a position to better protect Americans here at home from these real threats.

These are incredibly dangerous times – but I have confidence that both the Israeli and American spirit can and will prevail over evil."