Israel-Hamas war live updates: Biden confirms Americans are being held hostage, calls Hamas

Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market, said in a letter addressed to Musk on Tuesday that his office has “indications” that groups are spreading misinformation and “violent and terrorist” content on X, formerly known as Twitter, and urged the billionaire to respond within a 24-hour period.

The letter comes after numerous researchers, news organizations and other groups have documented a rise of misleading, false and questionable content on X, creating confusion about the current conflict.

Failure to comply with the European regulations around illegal content, referred to as the Digital Services Act, could result in fines worth 6% of a company’s annual revenue.

Read the full story here.

— Jonathan Vanian

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday that Iran is “complicit” in Hamas’ attack on Israel but there is no evidence linking Tehran to the violence over the weekend.

“We’ve said since the beginning that Iran is complicit in a broad sense because they have provided the lion’s share of the funding for the military wing of Hamas, they’ve provided training, they have provided capabilities, they have provided support and they’ve had engagement and contact with Hamas over years and years, and all of that has played a role in contributing to what we have seen,” Sullivan said.

“Now, as to the question of whether Iran knew about this attack in advance or helped plan or direct this attack, we do not, as of the moment I’m standing here at the podium, have confirmation of that.”

— Emma Kinery

President Joe Biden has stressed the importance of upholding the laws of war as Israel responds with overwhelming force to Hamas’ devastating terrorist attack that targeted hundreds of civilians.

Biden said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. response would be swift, decisive and overwhelming if the American people faced terrorism of the kind Israel has suffered in recent days.

The president described Hamas’ intentional targeting of civilians as “pure, unadulterated evil.”

But Biden said democracies are stronger and more secure when they act according to the rule of law.

“Terrorists purposely target civilians, kill them. We uphold the laws of war. It matters — there’s a difference,” Biden said in a televised address.

More than 1,000 Israelis have died in the attack Hamas launched on towns that border the Gaza Strip. At least 830 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory strikes.

Israel on Monday ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza that would cut off electricity, food and fuel to the densely populated, impoverished enclave.

— Spencer Kimball

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday it is his understanding that Israel does not plan to launch a total siege on Gaza, but Biden and Netanyahu discussed how to distinguish terrorists from civilians.

“We are consulting with the Israeli government about their actions in this regard,” Sullivan said.

“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.”

— Emma Kinery

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel tomorrow on the heels of unprecedented Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller announced Blinken’s travel during a daily press briefing.

— Amanda Macias

American Airlines says it will suspend its flights to Tel Aviv until at least Dec. 5, the latest airline to alert customers about a lengthy service disruption in the wake of the Hamas attacks and Israeli retaliation.

American Airlines had been offering flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport until this weekend when the carrier and other U.S. airlines halted service following the attacks.

Delta Air Lines on Monday said its Israeli nonstops from the U.S. won’t operate until at least Nov. 1. United Airlines, which had been flying to Tel Aviv more than any other airline, has suspended its service indefinitely.

— Leslie Josephs

Ben Salisbury, director of research and senior policy analyst at Height Capital Markets, joins “Squawk on the Street” to discuss the important elements to consider regarding oil price action as the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on, Iran’s centrality to the global oil market and how Saudi Arabia plays into the fold.

— Anuz Thapa

President Joe Biden said the White House will ask Congress to take “urgent action” to fund the national security requirements of U.S. allies in the wake of the devastating attack by Hamas on Israel.

Biden said his administration has worked closely with Congress throughout the crisis in Israel and Gaza.

“This is not about party or politics. It’s about the security of our world — the security of the United States of America,” the president said.

Congress faces paralysis right now as the House of Representatives remains leaderless a week after a faction of hard-right Republicans deposed Kevin McCarthy in a no-confidence vote.

There is little Congress can do until a new speaker is elected. House Republicans will vote Wednesday to select a nominee for the post, who will then face a full vote on the House floor.

It is unclear if the top candidates, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, can secure the 217 votes required to become speaker.

— Spencer Kimball

President Joe Biden confirmed in a speech Tuesday afternoon at least 14 Americans have been killed in Israel.

Biden confirmed for the first time that Americans are among the people being held hostage by Hamas.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters after Biden’s speech that the government believes there are around 20 or more Americans missing but noted that it didn’t mean all 20 were taken hostage.

“We do not know the number of hostages we have at this time,” Sullivan said.

— Emma Kinery

Some travel-related stocks bounced back Tuesday after selling off during the previous session amid a spike in oil prices and as the conflict unfolded between Israel and the designated terrorist group Hamas.

Shares of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines gained at least 3%. The stocks sold off by more than 4% each during Monday’s session amid a slew of flight cancelations coming in and out of the country. JetBlue Airways popped 3.6%, while Southwest Airlines added more than 2%.

Cruise stocks Carnival and Royal Caribbean rose 3.1% and 2.7%, respectively. Hotel stocks Marriott and Hilton gained about 3% each.

— Samantha Subin

Read more about the war’s effect on the financial markets at CNBC’s live market blog.

Goldman Sachs’ chief U.S. equity strategist David Kostin does not expect the Israel-Hamas conflict will have a huge effect on markets.

“It’s a tragedy from a human point of view,” Kostin told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Tuesday. “But the idea fundamentally, we’ll be getting earnings for the last three months, which is obviously backward looking. And the prospects looking forward are probably more domestically facing issues that are sort of pertinent to a lot of portfolio managers.”

“So less likely to have a big impact on a sustainable basis,” Kostin said.

Still, the strategist expects other risk factors will continue to weigh on stocks, citing higher yields and oil prices that could impede multiple expansion. He expects the S&P 500 will end 2023 around the 4,300 level, which is a little lower than where the broader index was last trading at about 4,380. He added cash is attractive.

However, he does not anticipate a recession on the horizon.

— Sarah Min

Read more about the war’s effect on the financial markets at CNBC’s live market blog.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., confirmed to NBC News that the death toll in Israel due to the conflict with Hamas has passed 1,000 people.

The conflict was triggered by a surprise air, land and sea attack by Hamas militants in Israel on Saturday.

— Amanda Macias

Israeli lawmakers said they would debate later this week about state guarantees for war risk insurance for the country’s airlines, Reuters reported.

To continue flying at a time when many carriers have pulled out of the country, the government asked the parliamentary finance committee for a $5 billion guarantee to cover war risk policies.

Reuters also reported that Turkish Airlines became the latest foreign carrier to suspend service to and from Israel.

— Leslie Josephs

Nearly 400 members of the House of Representatives have backed a resolution expressing U.S. solidarity with Israel and promising to provide emergency security assistance if needed.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., introduced the bipartisan legislation on Tuesday.

McCaul said he expects the House to pass the resolution as one of its first items of business once Republicans have selected a new speaker.

The resolution condemns Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel as “barbaric” and “brutal,” calling on the militant organization to immediately cease all violence and release the hostages it has kidnapped.

The legislation also condemns Iran’s support for Hamas and Islamic Jihad and urges the full enforcement of U.S. sanctions against Tehran.

— Spencer Kimball

A White House official confirmed to NBC News that President Joe Biden is expected to strongly condemn Hamas’ terrorist attacks over the weekend.

The surprise attacks have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, including at least 11 American citizens, as well as stunning reports of widespread kidnapping, rape and torture.

The U.S. leader is expected to convey steps his administration is taking in concert with allies to bolster Israeli security.

Biden will speak from the White House at 1 p.m. ET.

— Amanda Macias

President Joe Biden has held nearly 30 internal meetings and calls in the wake of the unprecedented terror attacks carried out by Hamas militants in Israel, according to a list obtained by NBC News.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday in a televised speech that the Biden administration has been in constant contact since the attacks launched on Israeli civilians over the weekend.

Biden spoke to Netanyahu again Tuesday morning.

Saturday, Oct. 7

• Initial briefing from staff early morning
• Secure call with national security team
• Secure call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
• Secure call with national security team
• Secure call with Vice President Kamala Harris
• Meeting with national security team
• Reconvene with national security team
• Secure call with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
• Secure call with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan
• Call with King Abdullah II of Jordan
• Secure call with CIA Director Bill Burns
• Call with Sen. Cory Booker
• Call with Rep. Dan Goldman
• Remarks review for statement on Israel
• Statement to press on Israel
• Reconvene national security team and senior advisors  
• Call with Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer
• Call with national security team

Sunday, Oct. 8

• Secure call with national security team
• Secure call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
• Secure call with national security team
• National security update from staff
• National security update from staff 

Monday, Oct. 9

• Meeting with national security team
• Meeting with national security team
• Call with Sen. Cory Booker
• Reconvene national security team
• Joint call with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 
• Meeting with national security team

— Amanda Macias

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, or UNICEF, warned of the rapidly deteriorating situation stemming from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Yet less than 72 hours after the outbreak of horrific violence in Israel, reports indicate that grave rights violations against children are rampant. Many children have been killed or injured, while countless others have been exposed to the violence,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell wrote in a statement.

“I remind all parties that in this war, as in all wars, it is children who suffer first and suffer most,” she added.

Russell called for the immediate and safe release of any children held hostage in Gaza.

— Amanda Macias