Sustained, deep and dark role in providing all of this support and capabilities to hamas in terms of this particular gruesome attack on october 7, we dont currently have that information. Well continue to look for it. If we find it, well share it with you. Thank you, jake. 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 and the west bank and relates to hezbollah. Why it is they didnt have warning from this is not a question that i can answer. What about u. S. Intelligence . Anything that crosses your desk that suggests this was come something. We did not see anything that suggested an attack of this type was going to unfold any more than the israelis did. Your meeting in the Situation Room today, we saw images earlier. At some point the president has seen the images of the dead israelis. What has been his reaction when shown the images . Youve seen him now twice. Youve heard his voice. This has been a deeply emotional time for all of us. Im sure it is for many people in this room that know people or know people that know people who were killed or missing. All of us have developed Close Relationships with our israeli Counter Parts. President biden has a long relationship with president netanyahu. I hear the pain in his voice. Its not about policy or strategy. It personal for us and personal for the American People with their bonds with the israeli people. So President Biden has seen and felt the deep emotional resonance of this. Hes held a conviction that his job as president is to make sure that he has the clarity of mind and purpose to take the actions necessary so were standing with israel in its hour of need, so were working to deter a widening of this conflict. So were getting israel the tools that it requires to defend itself. Yeah. Thank you, jake. You laid out all of the ways that iran is complicit in this and facilitated it over years of support for hamas. Is that reason enough to refreeze the 6 billion that the u. S. Helped unlock for them to get in exchange for the 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 of the ways theyre complicit in this . The administration said that if we see them going in the wrong direction, we would stop that down. I understand the position that you have, not a dollar of this has been spent. Will you prevent it from getting in their hands to allow them to do what they do that you just laid out. Let me reiterate what i said. Its unequivocal. Not a dollar of that money has been spent. I will leave it at that. Would you consider it . Yes. Jake, if i can ask you, 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 get 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 that as i said before are acting a heck of a lot like isis terrorists in their cruelty. That requires going after Hamas Terrorists targets in gaza because even as we speak, even as i stand here, there could be rockets flying out of gaza. Going after the sites is not retaliation. Its israel stepping up to defend itself. Were going to support them for as long as they need to ensure that israel is safe and secure. I cant put a timetable on that. To be clear is the goal the destruction of hamas, the guaranteed hamas cannot launch attacks from there, the confirmation that all americans and israeli have been security safely from there. What is where do you draw the line . Is there a red line of what you need to accomplish . Im not standing up here to draw red lines. Im standing up here to say that in their hour of need, as israel embarks to try to protect its country and protect the Jewish State Of Israel and go after the threats it faces and also working closely with them hand and hand to try to security the release and recovery of american and other hostages, we will do all of that and 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 a direction to take a series of actions. Were undertaking those actions and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. We heard from the families of americans that are unaccounted for right now. They speak publicly in israel. You said the president has not spoken with them directly. What is the president s message to the families that said its the responsibility of the president of the United States to make sure that their loved ones come home safely . The president said today that as president of the United States, he has no higher priority than the safety and wellbeing of americans held hostage overseas. Hes proven in country after country his wellingness to go further than any other president happens gone before and security the release. Hes going to do that as well. That is a high priority and a message that hes sending along with a deep sense of understanding of the grief and hurt and pain and anguish theyre feeling right now as they wait to hear news of their loved ones. The president in his remarks referred to seeking for assistance for partners. Does that suggest that youve decided strategically to ask congress for a package that includes ukraine aid as well as aid for israel . Chairman mccaul suggested including border and taiwan money in that. Im hoping you can give a State Of Play of how youre thinking about this in your interactions with the hill. Im not going to take the place of the omb director that will present the request that we send up. The president was very clear that we will be making a request to the congress. It will include a request for funding for support to israel. Hes also been equally clear that were going to renew our request to the congress for aid to ukraine. What exact form that all takes, that will be worked out and presented by others, not by me. The notion that were going to ask for israel aid and ukraine aid, thats unequivocal. Well do that. Beyond iron dome and other ammunition, there were any other requests . As i mentioned, netanyahu made specific requests with other capabilities. I wont get into the details of that from this podium. He and the president discussed that. I spoke with lloyd austin on his way to the nato defense ministerial about that request. Secretary austin is following up on that. As i said in my opening comments, you can expect to see american planes flying in to israel to deliver capabilities to support israel. Following up on iron dome. How effective has it been . And has israel asked for intercepters on an ongoing basis . You asked how effective it has been in deterring. I cant say its deterred, a huge number of rockets have fired. Its been effective as it typically is in taking a lot of those rockets out of the sky. Saving countless lives by doing so. Of course, some rockets have gotten through to tragic casts. Thats the pattern that weve seen in previous conflicts as well. Now, israel will have an ongoing need for intercepters. Because in air Defense System is only as good as your ability to continue to put intercepters in that can take out the rockets that are coming to kill civilians and rain down terror on cities. Were committed to make sure that we work with israel to produce and supply the requisite number of Iron Dome Intercepters is that they can keep the systems Going Forward. We cannot say how long this will be going on. Jake, what is your support in israel. How can you make sure that israel goes after hamas and its fracture gaza . Two million palestinians are trapped with no water, no electricity, no medical supply. The u. N. Schools are overflowing now. The number of dead is reaching 850 so far, including six members of the former ambassador to washington. How can you make sure this is not revenge but getting hamas that committed this horrible strike . The difference between the United States and israel, we do not deliberately target civilians. Were strongest when were 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 netanyahu have discussed not just in this context but previous contexts as well. Thats something that the United States has always stood for and always will continue the stand for. Can you tell if the egyptians have given information about the attack . I cannot confirm that. Prime minuter netanyahu told residents of gaza to leave now because we are operate everywhere. Where is the idea that people in gaza will go . This is something also that we have been discussing with our Counter Parts in israel and with our counterparts in egypt. Without going into the specifics of safe passage for civilians and so forth, its something that the u. S. Government has seized with in supporting how we do that operationally. The details of that are something that are being discussed among the operational agencies. I didnt want to share much of that publicly at this time. Imminently or ill leave it at the fact that we are focused on this question and ill share more when i have an update for you. Following up about what the president said about talking to the israeli Prime Minister about democracies and the laws of war. Was that a warning to the Prime Minister and why did the president feel that was necessary to bring that up in the call 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 attack and another nation that is standing behind them four square in the defense of their country. The conversation carried on in those terms and 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, some reports are saying that the commander was in lebanon a few days ago and he left to syria. Also, you are saying that iran is an accomplice in this attack. Are you trying to down play the iranian role here . What are you waiting for to take an action . And my second question, what assessment do you have on where other malitias stand now, whether in iraq, also heard can you give us an update . Is there more on u. S. Troops in the region . On your first question, i laid out our view. The broad complicity based on the longstanding support that hamas is giving to iran. We dont have specific information that ties i ran to this attack. At this time we dont have this information. We may gain that in the hours and days ahead. We dont presently have it. Thats an answer to your first question. With respect to the question of the various malitia groups across the region. We do believe that they pose an urgent threat and that it is certainly distinctly possible that they choose to try to exploit or take advantage of this since. We have been sending clear warnings that doing so will resort will result in a Firm Response and consequences from the United States. That goes across the board. We have been clear also in sending a message of deterrence through the movement of the Carrier Strike group in to the Eastern Mediterranean as well as through the assurance we will sustain f35s, a10s in theater to be able to deal with any contingency that the United States might have to deal with in the days ahead. Thanks, jake. The European Union has said that they opposed a total siege of gaza. What is the u. S. Position on that . Ive seen those reports. But my understanding is that is not the concept of siege is not something that in fact will be perceived by the Israeli Government. Were consulting with the Israeli Government about their actions in this regard. Like i said before, to a previous question, President Biden and Prime Minister netanyahu that had the opportunity to talk through the difference of going full bore against Hamas Terrorists and how we distinguish between terrorists and innocent civilians. Thanks, jake. Just so manying out to china. Is the u. S. Worried that this attention out of israel detract reinspectorses from the indopacific . Have you communicated with beijing . Going to senator schumers comments, he said he was disappointed be president xis soft response. Thats part of the discussions here. Were not entirely surprised by the prcs response based on their history of commentary by these kinds of issues. We believe that the United States is capable of supporting ukraine in europe, supporting our allies in the indopacific and supporting israel ins hour of need. We believe we have the resources, tools and capacities to effectively do that. Part of our job is to ensure that we are working across all of these theaters at once and thats what were doing each day. Yeah. Theres been some republican lawmakers have that have actioned the u. S. Cant support two wars. Can you talk about that and how youll make the request to congress and how the u. S. Need to invest with military and economic aid in israel and ukraine . Standing for ukraine so that russian aggression does not prevail in europe, the amount of resources that we need to put into that compared to the amount of resources we have to put in the russia were in fact to conquer ukraine and potentially have its aggression continue across europe, it is so much more costeffective to take the action now as opposed to pay the huge price later, a price that as it has in the past required the actual deployment of american troops to combat. So better to support the ukrainians as they stand firm against russian aggression and do so on a sustained basis. We have the Budget Wherewithal to do that and also the Budget Wherewithal to provide israel what they need. We reject the motion that the United States of america with not support ukraine and th state of israel. Is the Administration Working with israel and egypt in the crossing to try to ensure evacuations are possible . Also, i know you said in conversations with the israeli leaders, you dont think a complete siege is something that they may be attempting to do in gaza. Is there any counsel of restraint from the administration . On the first question in reference to a previous question, i spoke about our consultations with the israelis and the egyptians about how to deal with the challenge of civilians that want to leave gaza. I wont get into the details about that about a specific crossing or so forth only to say that is something that were focused on and working on and i want to leave those conversations for the moment. When we have more to offer, ill be sure to do so. Were having conversations with the israelis and i wont go into details in terms of what precise messages were passing. Its important that we talk to the israelis in the way that we always do as good friends, as honest friends and we will continue to do that. Yeah. Thanks, jake. So on the home front, over 150 people that were on the Terrorist Watch List have been seized along the southern border this fiscal year. Weve reported that been over 1. 5 million known gotaways since the Biden Administration took office. Is this something that the American People should be worried about right now . We continue to remain vigilant and Terrorist Threats to the homeland from anywhere. Its something that were working on, consulting with the congress on, seeking to secure the necessary resources to work through. Any time we see any threat stream involving a Terrorist Threat to the homeland, we mobilize every asset and resource and 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 also will continue to take steps to pursue a humane orderly Border Policy and we will work with the congress in the weeks ahead to continue to get the resources that we need to do that. I would point out in the last supplemental we sought additional funding for the border, which was not forth coming in the ultimate 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. Jake, the president doesnt have a confirmed ambassador to israel at this point. What are you doing to get jack lu confirmed given that he was nominated about a month ago, and the nomination was sent to the senate in late september. What is the plan to get him on the ground . The senate is coming back in to session next week. When they do, well work with democrats and republicans and th