In an unfortunate incident, the White House posted a photograph on its official Instagram account, capturing a handshake between President Joe Biden and a member of the renowned Delta Force, the U.S. Army’s elite counter-terrorism unit. This seemingly routine photo, however, unintentionally exposed the identities of three additional Delta Force members and revealed a distinctive tattoo on the arm of the soldier greeting President Biden.
The photograph was swiftly removed after an hour, but not before it garnered over 6,100 likes and was widely shared across social media platforms. In response, a White House spokesperson expressed regret, saying, “We regret the error and any issues this may have caused.” The spokesperson clarified that the picture was taken during President Biden’s recent visit to Israel, during which he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and offered the U.S.’s unwavering support in the ongoing hostage crisis.
The hostage crisis stems from a significant attack by Hamas, the terrorist organization controlling Gaza, on Israel that began on October 7. In the assault, Hamas fired thousands of rockets and infiltrated Israeli towns with dozens of militants, resulting in the tragic loss of over 1,400 lives and the injury of more than 4,200 people. Disturbing videos also showed Hamas parading at least 100 female hostages through the streets.
Prime Minister Netanyahu declared war on Hamas, vowing to make them face consequences like never before. Israel has pledged to employ all available military and diplomatic means to secure the hostages and restore peace and security. In response, Gaza reported over 3,000 Palestinian casualties and more than 12,500 injuries due to the Israeli retaliation. The Israeli government confirmed that 203 hostages are still in the custody of Hamas, including American citizens.
The U.S. government has emphasized its close cooperation with Israel and other allies, sharing intelligence and expertise in the collective effort to rescue the hostages. Additionally, the U.S. has condemned Hamas for its “barbaric” attack and called for an immediate end to the violence.