Biden meets with families of Americans held hostage by Hamas

President Joe Biden met Tuesday with relatives of Americans held hostage in the Gaza Strip. It was the first time the American president met with the families at the White House. Biden was joined for the meeting by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US deputy national security advisor Jon Finer, the White House said in a statement. Biden first met relatives of the Americans kidnapped by Hamas on his solidarity trip to Israel Oct. 18. 

One hundred and thirty-five people are currently held hostage in Gaza. Among them, eight hold American citizenship. These are 19-year-old Idan Alexander, 19-year-old Itay Chen, 35-year-old Sagui Dekel-Chen, 64-year-old Keith Siegel, 22-year-old Omer Neutra, 70-year-old Judi Weinstein, 73-year-old Gad Haggai and 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin. All of the eight are dual American-Israeli citizens.

Relatives of six out of the eight arrived to the White House for the meeting with the president. The relatives of the other two participated via Zoom. Liz Naftali, the great-aunt of 4-year-old Abigail Edan, who was released end of November, also took part in the White House meeting. During her captivity, Abigail, whose parents were both killed Oct. 7 in front of her eyes, has become a symbol of the children taken hostage. 

Commenting on the meeting, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the president promised to keep the families updated on efforts to retrieve their loved ones. “The president is very grateful for the time that they afforded him. He was moved by their stories, by the love they feel, by the hope they still harbor, and he harbors that hope too, and he … is acting on that,” said Kirby. He then reiterated that Hamas still holds young women hostage “in violation of the deal it negotiated in Doha,” adding, “We know what they have proven capable of doing to young women.”