President Biden says his administration has been working nonstop to secure the release of hostages.
The United States and its partners remain committed to securing the release of hostages abducted by the Hamas terror group during its surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, President Joe Biden said on Jan. 14.
In a statement marking 100 days of captivity, President Biden said that his administration has been “working non-stop” to try to secure the release of the 130 hostages, including six Americans.
“On this terrible day, I again reaffirm my pledge to all the hostages and their families: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring Americans home,” he remarked.
President Biden said that his administration has pursued “aggressive diplomacy” in its efforts to bring the hostages home.
“In November, working in close coordination with Qatar, Egypt, and Israel, we brokered a seven-day pause in fighting that resulted in the release of 105 hostages—including a 4-year-old American child—and allowed us to surge additional vital humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said.
“I was deeply engaged to secure, sustain, and extend that deal. Sadly, Hamas walked away after just one week. But the United States and our partners have not given up.”
Hamas terrorists captured 240 Israeli hostages during their Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people, according to Israel. A temporary truce in November 2023 led to the release of more than 100 hostages, but 130 are still held in Gaza.
President Biden said that he would maintain close contact with his counterparts in Qatar, Egypt, and Israel to return all hostages home and back to their families.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also traveled to the Middle East region last week “seeking a path forward for a deal to free all those still being held,” the president said.
Mr. Blinken said the United States won’t rest until the hostages are freed.
“It is impossible for any of us to understand what they have endured over those 100 days, but I have met with many of their families and delivered a clear message: The United States is with you and we will not rest until you are reunited with your loved ones,” he said in a statement on Jan. 14.
