We have taken the threat of Hamas seriously: Biden

US President Joe Biden has said that the White House is taking seriously Hamas’ threat to kill hostages taken by Israel.

John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said the White House was closely monitoring the situation after Hamas warned it would kill the hostages.

“You can’t take this kind of threat lightly,” Kirby told CNN.

Biden has not spoken publicly since Sunday despite his support for Israel in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Considering the threat of hostage crisis and regional war, it is assumed that he did not give any immediate response about the war.

President Biden said that an American was among those kidnapped and taken to Gaza by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday and that at least 11 American citizens were killed.

The death toll from the worst attack in Israel’s 75-year history has exceeded 900, while Gaza officials have reported that 765 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Hamas has taken about 150 hostages since its attack. It includes children, the elderly and the young.