{"id":31569,"date":"2023-11-03T17:35:56","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T17:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/11\/03\/us-flying-drones-over-gaza-in-search-of-hostages\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:55:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:55:56","slug":"us-flying-drones-over-gaza-in-search-of-hostages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/federal-oversight\/2023\/11\/03\/us-flying-drones-over-gaza-in-search-of-hostages\/","title":{"rendered":"US flying drones over Gaza in search of hostages, Pentagon says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While U.S. officials have insisted that the Israel Defense Forces will take the lead on rescuing hostages taken from Israel to Gaza<\/a> on Oct. 7, the Pentagon acknowledged on Friday that U.S. forces have launched reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles<\/a> over Gaza as part of the search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flights began following Oct. 7, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn support of hostage recovery efforts, the U.S. is conducting unarmed UAV flights over Gaza, as well as providing advice and assistance to support our Israeli partner as they work on their hostage recovery efforts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, Ryder reiterated during a briefing, \u201cJust to be crystal clear, that it is [Israel\u2019s] operation, they\u2019re running their operation\u201d when it comes to strikes on Gaza. But the U.S., Ryder said, is helping with planning and intelligence for hostage recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior officials have said since the days following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas that the U.S. would not be sending combat troops to Israel, nor would it be sending its own forces into Gaza to recover American hostages.<\/p>\n\n\n\t