Hamas, in terms of this particular gruesome attack on october 7th, we dont currently have that information. We will continue to look for it and if we find it, we will share it with you. Thank you. Looking back at the last few days, how did israel miss this attack coming . Thats a question for you to ask the Israeli Government. Obviously, the Israeli Government has placed a high premium on its Intelligence Capacity as it relates to hamas, to the west bank, to hezbollah. And why it is that they did not have warning from this is not a question i can answer from this podium. What about u. S. Intelligence . Is there anything that crosses your desk that would indicate this . We did not see anything that suggested an attack of this type was going to unfold any more than the israelis did. And your meeting within the situation room today, at some point undoubtedly the president has seen the images of the dead israelis. What has been his reaction when shown those . Youve seen him now twice. Youve heard his voice. And this has been a deeply emotional time for all of us. As im sure it is for many people in this room who know people or know people who know people who were killed or missing. And all of us have developed Close Relationships with our israeli counterparts. President biden has a decades long relationship with Prime Minister netanyahu and he can hear the pain in Benjamin Netanyahus voice. I hear the pain in my counterparts when i talk to them. This is not just about policy or strategy. This is personal for us and it is personal with the American People with their bonds with the israeli people. So President Biden has seen and felt the deep emotional resonance of this. He also has the conviction as president that he has the clarity of mind and purpose to take the actions necessary so that we are standing with israel in its hour of need so we are working to deter a widening of its conflict so we are getting israel the tools that it requires to defend itself. Thank you, jake. Can you lay out all the ways iran facilitated this over years of support for hamas . Is that reason enough to freeze, refreeze the 6 billion that the u. S. Helped unlock for them to get in exchange for prisoners . We have not yet had a dollar of that 6 billion spent and i will leave it at that. Will you refreeze it based on this activity that you just laid out all the ways that they are complicit in this . The administration that that if we see them going in the wrong direction, that we would stop that down. I understand the position that you have, that not a dollar has been spent. Will you prevent it from getting into their hands to do what they do that you just laid out . Let me reiterate what i said. Not a dollar of the money has been spent and i will leave it at that. Is it being considered . Yes. Will the u. S. Support israels military attacks in gaza for as long as it takes until the hostages are freed . Or until hamas is destroyed . I guess in simple terms, how much retaliation in gaza is the u. S. Willing to accept . I dont think of this in terms of retaliation. This is about providing support to israel as it seeks to defend its territory and deal with an ongoing imminent threat from Hamas Terrorists who, as i said before, are acting a heck of a lot like isis terrorists in their barbarity and cruelty. That requires going after hamas terrorist targets in gaza. Even as we speak, even as i stand here, there could be rockets flying out of gaza going after those sites. Thats not retaliation. Thats israel stepping up to defend itself and ensure the safety and security of the israeli people. And well support them for as long as they need to ensure that israel is safe and secure. I cant put a timetable on that. So to be clear, is the destruction of hamas the guarantee that hamas cannot launch attacks from there, the confirmation that all americans and israelis have been secured safely from there, what, where do you draw the line . Where is the red line of what you need to accomplish . Im not standing up whoer to draw red lines. Im standing up here to say in its hour of need, as israel embarks on an operation to try to protect its country, protect the jewish state of israel, and to go after the threats that it faces, and also, working closely with them hand in hand to try to secure the release and recovery of american and other hostages, we will do all of that. Im not here to draw red lines or issue warnings or give lectures to anybody. Im here to say that the president has given us direction to take a series of actions. We are undertaking those actions and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. Lastly, we heard from the families of americans who are unaccounted for. They spoke in israel today. You said the president hasnt spoken to them directly. What is the president s message to those people who say it is the responsibility of the president of the United States to make sure their loved ones come home safely. The president said in his remarks today, as president of the United States, he has no higher priority than the safety and wellbeing of the hostages overseas. He has proven in country after country his willingness to go further than any other president has gone before to secure the release and bring those people home. He will try to do that in this case as well. Thats a high priority for him. Along with a deep sense of understanding of the grief and hurt and pain and anguish they are feeling right now as they wait to hear news of their loved ones. The president has remarked today, seeking assistance for partners. Does that suggest that youve decided strategically to ask congress for a package that is both ukraine aid as well as aid for israel . And the chairman suggested even putting border money into that. Can you give a State Of Play about how youre thinking about this . So im not going to get ahead of the president s request and im not going to take the place of the omb director who will present the request that we put up. Tell president was clear that we will be making a request to the congress and it will include a request for funding for support to israel, and he has also been equally clear we will renew our request to the congress for aid to ukraine. What exactly form that all takes, that will be worked out and presented by others, not by me. The notion that were going up and ask for israel aid and ukraine aid. Thats unequivocal. The iron dome and ammunition, were there any other requests made by Prime Minister netanyahu today that we can expect to be part of that package . As i mention in the my opening comments, he did make specific requests with respect to certain capabilities. I wont get into the details from this podium but and he the president discussed that. I spoke to them about those requests. Secretary austin is following up on that. And as i said in my opening comments, you can expect to see american planes flying into israel to deliver military capabilities to support israel. Just a followup on iron dome. How effective has it been in deterring the attacks . I know you mentioned this in terms of intersectors. Has israel asked for on it an ongoing basis in light of the situation . You asked how effective it has been in deterring. I cant say that it has deterred because a huge number of rockets have fired. But it has been effective as it typically is in taking a lot of the rockets out of the sky and saving countless lives by doing it. Some rockets have gotten through to tragic cost. And that has been the pattern we have seen in previous conflicts as well. Now, israel will have an ongoing need for interceptors. Because an air Defense System is only as good as your ability to put interceptors in that can take out the rockets coming to kill civilians and rain down terror on cities. We are committed to making sure we are working with israel to produce and supply the requisite number of Iron Dome Interceptors so they can keep the systems going on an indefinite basis Going Forward. We cannot say how long this will be going on. Thank you. The support in military, this horrific and heinous act against israeli civilians, how can you make sure that israel was after hamas and the infrastructure in gaza, not the 2 million palestinians who are trapped with no electricity, no medical supplies. The number of dead is reaching 850 so far including six members of one family of the former ambassador to washington. How can you make sure that this is not revenge but actually going after hamas who committed this horrible crime . As the president said today, the difference between countries like the United States and israel is that we do not deliberately target civilians. We are strongest when we are committed to the rule of law and we work to make sure that all Military Operations are conducted consistent with the rule of law and the law of war. That is something that President Biden and Prime Minister netanyahu have discussed. Not just in this context but others as well. That is something the United States has always stood for and always will continue to stand for. Sorry. Can you confirm that the intelligence has that some attack will happen . I cannot confirm that. He tweeted on saturday telling them to leave now because we will operate forcefully everywhere. Where is the idea that the people in gaza will go . This is something also that we have been discussing with our counterparts in israel and with our counterparts in egypt. Without getting into the specifics of safe package for civilians, it is something the u. S. Power is seized with how we do it operationally. The details are something that are being discussed among the operational agencies and i dont want to share too much about it publicly at this time. Imminently . Ill leave it at the fact that we are focused on this question. There are consultations ongoing and ill share more when i have an update for you. Following up on what the president said about talking to the israeli Prime Minister about democracy and the laws of war. Was that a warning to the Prime Minister and why did the president feel that was necessary to bring it up today . It was not a warning. The call today was not President Biden warning Prime Minister netanyahu about anything. It was two leaders talking to one another. One who is leading a nation that has suffered an unfathomable attack and another nation standing behind them foursquare in the defense of their country. And the conversation carried on in those terms. The two leaders spoke in a collaborative fashion as they always do. So no, i cannot accept the characterization of your question. I have two questions. First, something reports are saying, the ioc commander was in lebanon a few days ago and he left to syria. Also, you are saying that iran is an accomplice. Are you trying to downplay the iranian role . What are you waiting for to take an action . And my second question, what assessment do you have on other militias stand now, in iraq, [ inaudible ] is there a risk on the u. S. Troops in the region . Thank you. So on your first question, i laid out our view which is the broad complicity based on the longstanding support that hamas is giving to iran. We dont have specific information that ties iran to this attack. At this time, we dont have the information. We may gain that information in the hours and days ahead. We dont presently have it. So thats in answer to your first question with respect to the intelligence with. Respect to the question of the various Militia Groups across the region west do believe they pose an urgent threat, and that it is certainly distinctly possible they choose to try to exploit or take advantage of the situation. And we have been sending clear warnings that doing so will result in a Firm Response and consequences from the United States. And that goes across the board and we have been clear in sending a message of deterrence through the movement of the Carrier Strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as through the assurance that we will sustain f16s, f35s, to deal with any contingency the United States might have to deal with in the days ahead. It opposes the potential siege of gaza. What is the u. S. Position on that . Ive seen those reports. My understanding is that is not the concept of, the concept of siege is not something perceived by the Israeli Government. We are consulting with the Israeli Government about their reactions in this regard. Like i said before to a previous question, President Biden and Prime Minister netanyahu had the opportunity to talk through the difference between going full bore against Hamas Terrorists and how we distinguish between terrorists and innocent civilians. Thank you so much. Just zooming out, is the u. S. Worried that it will detract from the indopacific . Just going to senator schumers comments, he said he was disappointed by president xis soft response. Were not entirely surprised by the prcs response based on their history of commentary on these kinds of issues. We believe that the United States is capable of supporting ukraine in europe, in the indopacific and our close ally, israel, in its hour of need. And we believe we have the resources, tools and capacities to effectively do that. And part of our job is to ensure that we are working across all of these theaters at once and thats precisely what were doing each day. There have been some republican lawmakers who have argued the u. S. Cant support two wars. Can you address that and how youll make these requests to congress and make the case that the u. S. Needs to invest, maybe not with troops on the ground but military and economic aid for both israel and ukraine . Standing for ukraine so aggression does not prevail in europe, the amount of resources we need to put into that compared to the amount of resources we would have to put in if russia were to conquer ukraine and then potentially have its aggression continue across europe. It is so much more Cost Effective to take the action now as opposed to paying the huge price later. A price that might ultimately as it has in the past, require the actual deployment of american troops to combat. Better to support the ukrainians as they stand firm against russian aggression and do so on a sustained basis. And we have the Budget Wherewithaled the that. We have the Budget Wherewithal to be able to provide israel what it needs. And we firmly reject the notion that the United States of america cannot at once support the freedom of the people of ukraine and israel. Is the Administration Working with israel and egypt to try to ensure evacuations are possible . And then also, i know that you said in conversations with israeli leaders, you dont think that a complete siege is something they may be attempting to do in gaza. Is there any counsel of restraint . On the first question, in reference to a previous question,. About our consultations with the israelis and the egyptians about how to deal with the challenge of civilians who want to leave gaza. I wont get into the details of that, a specific crossing or so forth. Only to say thats something we are focused on and working on and i want to leave that with diplomatic channels, at left a for the moment. When we have more to offer on that, i will do so. We are having conversations with the israelis. Again at this podium, i wont go into details in terms of what precise messages were passing. It is important that we be able to talk to the israelis in the way that we always do as good friends, honest friends. We will continue to do that. Thanks. On the home front, over 150 people who are on the Terrorist Watch List have been seized along the southern border this year. Weve reported that there have been 1. 5 million gotaways since President Biden took office. Is this something the American People should be worried about . We continue to be vigilant about Terrorist Threats to the homeland from anywhere. It is something that we are very much working on that we are consulting with congress on, we are seeking to secure the necessary resources to continue to work through. Any time we see any threats involving the Terrorist Threats of the homeland, we mobilize every asset to go after that. That includes information and analysis that we have shared with the congress about plots emanating from the middle east. Plots emanating from other places. Well continue to do that. We will also continue to take steps to pursue a human age orderly border policy. And we will work with the congress in the weeks ahead to continue to have the resources we need to do that. I would point out in the last supplemental, we sought additional funding for the border which was not forthcoming in the package that went through. The Biden Administration has said to congress already, were looking for more resources to deal with the continuing challenges that we have at the border. The president a confirmed ambassador to israel at this point. What are you doing to get him confirmed given that he was nominated a month ago. It was sent to the senate in late septem