President Biden recently made a startling claim that he had seen "confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children" in Israel. However, the White House was quick to clarify that neither the President nor any U.S. officials had actually seen such images.
During a meeting with Jewish community leaders, Biden expressed his disbelief at the horrific acts he claimed to have seen in pictures.
"I never really thought that I would see and have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children," he said according to New York Post.
The White House later clarified that Biden's comments were based on statements from Israeli officials and media reports, not on independently verified information. A spokesperson for the White House stated that the President had not seen any such images, contradicting his earlier claim.
The initial reports of the gruesome acts came from the Israeli military, who guided journalists through areas affected by a recent Hamas attack. The attack resulted in significant casualties, including more than 1,200 civilians and Israeli troops, with at least 22 Americans among the dead.
Israeli spokespeople have made similar claims about the beheadings, but none have been officially confirmed. Yossi Landau, a volunteer with Israel's emergency response organization, claimed to have seen the bodies of beheaded children, while a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces stated that such reports could be assumed to be true.
President Biden declined to take questions during the event but did address the issue of U.S. captives in Gaza, stating, "If I told you, I wouldn't be able to get them home."
The White House's retraction has raised questions about the credibility of the President's statements, especially on such a sensitive and critical issue.
