Nine American hostages remain in Hamas custody, as confirmed by the White House on Monday. The acknowledgment comes a day after the release of a four-year-old girl, the first American hostage taken during the October 7 attack in Israel.
President Biden is advocating for the inclusion of the remaining American hostages in an anticipated new round of releases expected over the next few days.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, conveyed this information on Monday, following the agreement between Israel and Hamas to extend a ceasefire for an additional two days. The initial agreement involved a four-day pause in the bombardment of Gaza by Israel and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners held in the West Bank in exchange for the return of 50 hostages from Gaza.