US commandos deployed to Israel to help 'identify hostages, including American hostages'

The United States Army Special Forces have been deployed to Israel to help locate hundreds of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to the Pentagon.

Since the war between Hamas and Israel began four weeks ago, the U.S. has deployed two aircraft carriers to the region and sent military advisors to assist Israel in the war against Hamas.

However, according to Assistant U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher Meir, military commandos have now also been deployed.

“We’re actively helping the Israelis to do a number of things,” Maier said just one day after Israel rescued a female IDF soldier, Ori Megidish, who was kidnapped to Gaza and held hostage by terrorists.

It wasn’t clear if U.S. Special Forces played any role in the soldier’s rescue.

In a special-op conference in Washington on Tuesday, Maier said the primary objective for U.S. commandos deployed to Israel is to “identify hostages, including American hostages.”

“It’s really our responsibility to do so,” he said.

While the exact number is not clear, U.S. officials say the Defense Department has deployed several dozen commandos in recent weeks.

The officials spoke anonymously about operational matters and said the commandos would join the FBI, the State Department and other U.S. government hostage-recovery specialists in partnership with Israeli officials.

U.S. Special Operations forces have not been given any combat roles in Israel, but are in discussion with Israeli officials about what Maier called “a very complex fight going forward” in Gaza.

American Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin and Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have held almost daily talks about the operations in Gaza. Austin emphasized the need for careful consideration about how Israeli forces conduct the ground invasion, as Hamas operates a spiderweb of tunnels under civilian areas and hospitals stretching for hundreds of miles.

“We will work with them as much as possible to help advise them on those types of activities,” Maier said.

Several Western countries have covertly moved small teams of their own special forces closer to Israel to help with rescue operations, as well as evacuations of civilians from Israel and Lebanon.

Meir said U.S. Special Operations forces in the region are also positioned “to help our own citizens get out of places and to help our embassies be secure.”

The Oct. 7, Hamas massacre – responsible for the brutal deaths of at least 1,400 Israelis including women, children, babies and Holocaust survivors – sparked a war in the Gaza region. Entire families were slaughtered in their homes, and over 260 civilians were killed at an outdoor music festival.

Israel is still unsure of the number of hostages kidnapped, however, last week officials said that over half of them have foreign passports from 25 different countries. More than 200 foreigners or dual nationals were brutally murdered or taken captive.

According to the White House, 31 Americans were killed during the Hamas massacre and 13 are still listed as missing. Hamas has released four hostages, including an American woman and her daughter.

Israel’s stated goal is to destroy the Islamic terror group and eliminate the threat from the region.

The Jewish state has targeted Hamas operatives while also taking extensive measures to minimize civilian deaths by warning and urging people to evacuate several miles south and out of harm's way.

Hamas has sought to prevent the citizens of Gaza from seeking safety against Israeli airstrikes to target Hamas terror forces above and below ground.

Just three days ago, Hamas terror leader Mousa Abu Marzouk appeared on Russia Today TV (RT TV) admitting on camera that Hamas takes no responsibility for the safety of Gazan civilians.

“Everybody knows that 75% of the people in the Gaza Strip are refugees, and it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them,” Marzouk stated.

Egyptian TV Host Ibrahim Eissa slammed Marzouk, calling the statement "disgraceful" and called for the end of Hamas control over Gaza.