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Sen. Josh Hawley criticized President Biden for hosting a barbecue Sunday evening at the White House during an American hostage crisis in Gaza.
“While Hamas holds Americans hostage, Joe Biden is enjoying a picnic with a live band,” Mr. Hawley, Missouri Republican, posted on X above a White House pool report describing a Sunday evening barbecue hosted by Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
The Washington Times has reached out to the White House for comment.
A “live band could be heard coming from the area around the Rose Garden,” the pool report reads. The barbecue was for the Executive Residence staff and their families.
Mr. Biden is facing mounting criticism over Hamas’ surprise attacks on Israel on Saturday. The Jewish state has begun a retaliatory campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
SEE ALSO: Biden suffers political fallout over Iran deal after Hamas attack on Israel
U.S. officials reiterated America’s strong support for Israel while determining whether Israeli Americans are being held hostage and how many with dual citizenship were killed in the coordinated attacks.
More than 700 people were killed, thousands more wounded and over 100 from Israel are presumed to have been abducted and held inside the Gaza enclave.
“We have reports that several Americans were killed [and] we’re working to verify that,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday on CNN. “At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans, and there again, we’re working to verify those reports.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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