President Joe Biden Friday made his first public feedback on the hostages launched by Hamas after its Tuesday negotiated four-day ceasefire with Israel.
The president commented from Nantucket the place he’s vacationing for Thanksgiving.
“From the second Hamas kidnapped these individuals, I, together with my group, have labored across the clock to safe their launch,” mentioned Biden.
The Israeli authorities accredited a deal Tuesday night time that can see the Palestinian Hamas terror group launch at as much as 80 feminine, youngster, and aged hostages over 4 days, in return for a pause within the combating within the Gaza Strip.
Israel will proceed its battle towards Hamas as soon as the four-day interval ends.
Biden’s feedback got here Friday after Hamas launched the primary group of hostages — 13 Israelis, 10 Thais, and one Filipino, however no People.
“We don’t know when [the next hostage release] will happen, however we count on it to happen,” mentioned Biden. “And we don’t know what the listing of all of the hostages are or once they’ll be launched, however we all know the numbers once they’re going to be launched. So my hope and expectation is that it is going to be quickly.”
Hamas could withhold the discharge American hostages to encourage the U.S. to strain Israel to increase the ceasefire.
The president acknowledged “the probabilities are actual” the ceasefire is prolonged. “I don’t belief Hamas to do something proper,” Biden mentioned. “I solely belief Hamas to reply to strain.”
Biden faces extra headwinds at house as progressive requires a ceasefire achieve steam.
Inside his personal celebration, calls to situation U.S. support to Israel on deescalation of Israeli assaults towards the terrorist group are rising.
Biden expressed his openness to contemplate conditional support.
A reporter requested Biden his ideas on calls to situation U.S. support to Israel as a option to halt Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
”I believe that is a worthwhile thought, however I do not assume if I began off with that we’d have gotten the place we’re at present.” pic.twitter.com/Ur8pwN0qjX
— Daniel Marans (@danielmarans) November 24, 2023
“I believe that’s a worthwhile thought,” Biden mentioned. “However I don’t assume if I began off with that that we’d’ve ever gotten to the place we acquired at present. We have now to take this a bit at a time.”
Observe Bradley Jaye on Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.