Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park to hold solidarity event after Hamas attack on Israel
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A synagogue in the west metro is asking the community to gather in solidarity with Israel following Hamas' attack that has killed more than 900 people, including 14 Americans.
Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park will host the gathering on Tuesday, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the program beginning at 6 p.m.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, launched its surprise assault on Israel early Saturday morning, which the Israel Defense Forces has since said left at least 900 dead and roughly 2,700 wounded in the country. Israeli authorities said dozens of people are being held captive by the group.
RELATED: Israel bombards Gaza in battle with Hamas as death tolls on both sides of war rise
At least 765 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip by Israel's retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. At least 140 children there have been killed and 4,000 others have been wounded, it said.
"There are no words to express the pain and horror that have been inflicted on our people and our homeland," the synagogue said in a Facebook post. "The unprovoked, barbaric attack by Hamas terrorists leaves us full of anguish, anger, fear, worry, and heartache as we absorb the tragic news from Israel."
After the event, the synagogue will also host a program specifically for teens to "have a space to gather, discuss, and process the many emotions these last few days have brought." Teens from all Twin Cities synagogues are welcome to participate.
WCCO's Allen Henry will have more Tuesday evening.
President Biden calls attacks "sheer evil"
President Biden on Tuesday condemned the Hamas militant group's bloody attacks on Israel that took place over the weekend, calling them an "act of sheer evil" and forcefully declaring that "we stand with Israel."
"This is terrorism," he said. "Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond, indeed has a duty to respond, to these vicious attacks."
He confirmed, that in addition to 14 Americans killed, there are American citizens among those being held captive by Hamas.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said after Biden's remarks that while he could not confirm the precise number of U.S. citizens who are hostages, there are 20 or more Americans missing.
"We will work hour-by-hour both to determine whether we can account for any of those Americans, or to confirm exactly the number of Americans held hostage," Sullivan said. "We do not know the number of hostages we have at this time."
The U.S. has already moved to provide the Israeli military with additional equipment and resources, including munitions, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S.
