White House National Security Adviser to Meet with Families of Americans Taken Hostage by Hamas
Washington — White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is set to meet Thursday with families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
CNN first reported the meeting, which comes after the families have previously met with Sullivan, according to the officials. Kirby said they expect all the families of those taken hostage to be at the meeting.
President Biden had a virtual meeting with the families in October, and then met with families of hostages still held by Hamas last month. That meeting came after a weeklong pause in fighting when more than 100 hostages were released, including two U.S. citizens, one of whom was only four years old. In late December, the final American woman believed to be among the hostages, Judi Weinstein Haggai, was confirmed by Israel to have died.
The U.S. and Qatari-led Hostage diplomacy began in October with the release of two dual U.S.-Israeli hostages — a Chicago teenager and her mother. They were released in late October.
Qatar and Egypt have taken the lead in hostage diplomacy, negotiating with Hamas to end the bombardment of Gaza by Israel. In return, Israel is demanding the release of all hostages, including women of military age.
The U.S. government estimates that there are still six American hostages remaining. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff have met with the families of the hostages, along with other senior members of the Biden administration.
Israeli officials report that around 240 people have been taken hostage in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
President Biden has made a commitment to bring the remaining American hostages home, stating that the U.S. will continue working towards their release.
President Biden expressed his intention to maintain close contact with Qatar, Egypt, and Israel in order to ensure the safe return of all hostages to their families.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and a bipartisan group of senators held a press conference with the families of the American hostages. Schumer acknowledged that progress was slow but emphasized that important progress was being made.
"So we are going to do everything," Schumer said. "We can, we are going to do everything we can because our hearts are broken and we must, we must bring them home. All of them. I just want to say to, to all of you, don't give up hope."
Jon Polin, whose son was taken hostage at a music festival targeted in the Oct. 7 attack, applauded the U.S. government's efforts to date, but he urged more action.
"As Americans, we expect the United States — the greatest superpower in the history of the world — to use its full power to secure the hostages' release," he said.
The FBI and State Department, along with the White House, have continued to consult with the Israeli government on the hostages and efforts to broker their release. The Netanyahu government has faced widespread protests in Israel by families of hostages who want the release of their loved ones prioritized amid the focus on the warfighting.
On Friday, Sullivan's hostage diplomacy efforts will continue. He will meet with Anna Corbett, whose husband Ryan Corbett, a U.S. citizen, has been held by the Taliban since 2022 and is considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained. The U.S. does not recognize the Al Qaeda-linked Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan.
