Biden administration anticipates release of American hostage by Hamas
The Biden administration expects the release of an American hostage held by Hamas, offering hope for their safe return
The Biden administration has reason to believe that one of the Americans currently being held hostage by Hamas will be released on Sunday, according to a top US official. "We're dealing with Hamas. We are in a 'don't trust, but verify' situation here. And so we have reason to believe that there will be an American release today," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan in an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union."
Sullivan expressed hope for a positive and joyful day, but emphasized that they are still eagerly awaiting the actual release of the hostages. Among them, two American women and a 4-year-old girl named Abigail Edan are still missing and are anticipated to be among the 50 hostages to be released during the ongoing four-day truce, now in its third day.
Sullivan expressed hope for the release and reunion of 4-year-old Abigail with her family, acknowledging the trauma she has endured. He expressed growing optimism about her release, noting that no Americans were released as part of the recent deal and that 10 Americans remain unaccounted for. According to an Israeli official, at least one American is expected to be released today.
Twenty-four hostages, including 13 Israeli civilians and 11 foreign nationals, were liberated on Friday. On Saturday, 17 more were freed, consisting of 13 Israelis and four Thai nationals, as part of the negotiated agreement between Hamas and Israel. Medical professionals have reported that all 41 foreign nationals released by Hamas from captivity in Gaza are in stable condition. Sullivan expressed the challenge of obtaining accurate information about the well-being of the Americans taken captive during Hamas' assault on October 7th.
"We cannot confirm the status of all three individuals. However, we do have information that suggests one American will be released today," he stated.
CNN has reported that Omer Neutra, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship, is one of the IDF soldiers taken captive by Hamas, according to his parents. Sullivan has been transparent with Neutra's parents and the families of other American captives.
"I informed them clearly that we do not have any specific information on Omer or other Americans' whereabouts or condition until the end of tomorrow when we receive proof of life or other information from the Red Cross. Once we have that information, we will definitely share it with the parents," Sullivan said.
Sullivan also discussed Hamas agreeing to permit the Red Cross to visit the remaining hostages in Gaza and stated that the US is urging Qatari and Egyptian officials to ensure that this happens by the end of Monday.
"We believe that Hamas has committed to facilitating Red Cross visits to the hostages, and we urge Qatar, Egypt, and other countries to hold Hamas accountable for fulfilling this commitment by tomorrow," said Sullivan. He also stated that Israel is willing to continue the ceasefire if Hamas releases 10 hostages each day, emphasizing that it is now up to Hamas to take action.
Sullivan stated that if Hamas wants the ceasefire to continue, it must release the hostages. Failure to do so would make the end of the ceasefire the responsibility of Hamas, as they are holding the hostages unlawfully. The Israeli officials are focused on caring for the released hostages and reuniting them with their families, while also gathering information about Hamas during debriefings.
Humanitarian aid into Gaza
"Israel is committed to gathering as much information as possible regarding the whereabouts, locations, and other details from the conversations with the recently released hostages in the coming days," he stated.
Sullivan also explained the inspection process for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Before entering the Rafah crossing, he stated that Israeli authorities carefully inspect the aid to ensure that it consists solely of humanitarian supplies and not items that could support Hamas's military efforts.
The aid trucks then proceed to United Nations depots and other reputable humanitarian organizations that have been vetted and trusted as partners. From those locations, the aid is distributed directly to the people.
Sullivan emphasized the importance of ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches those in need rather than being misdirected to Hamas. The United Nations confirmed that a significant amount of aid, including fuel and medical supplies, successfully entered Gaza, marking the largest humanitarian convoy to do so since October 7. Additional aid, including food, water, and fuel, also made its way into Gaza, further addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in the region.
Biden is closely coordinating with Israel and UN leadership to ensure that aid reaches the innocent people who are suffering. Sullivan avoided commenting on Israeli politics, but mentioned that Biden's dialogue with Prime Minister Netanyahu has been beneficial.
Sullivan stated that he will continue to prioritize high-level direct diplomacy between leaders and leave others to handle political considerations. CNN's Kaitlan Collins and Jack Forrest contributed to this report.
