WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday will hold his first in-person meeting with the families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas during its brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, two White House officials said.
It was not immediately clear how many families would be attending the White House meeting in person, or via videoconference. Biden has previously met with some family members virtually and spoken to others on the phone, officials said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Biden’s schedule.
“We’re not going to stop until every hostage is returned home,” Biden told donors in Washington on Tuesday, saying the U.S. commitment to Israel is “unshakable.”
Seven Americans remain unaccounted for after Hamas’ surprise air, sea and land incursion into Israeli towns, where the group killed about 1,200 Israelis — mostly civilians — and took more than 240 people hostage. Four Americans were released as part of a U.S.-negotiated cease-fire in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza that was brokered with the assistance of Qatar and Egypt. The White House has said that at least 31 Americans were killed by Hamas and other militant groups on Oct. 7.
NBC News was first to report on the meeting.
The story has been updated to correct the timing of the Biden quote to Tuesday, not Friday.
2024-12-24 08:441447 view
2024-12-24 08:35951 view
2024-12-24 08:06950 view
2024-12-24 07:35330 view
2024-12-24 07:35480 view
2024-12-24 07:24161 view
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A former correctional officer in southern West Virginia pleaded guilty Wedn
GOSHEN, Ohio (AP) — An early morning crash involving two cars on an Ohio road killed five people and
HORNBROOK, Calif. (AP) — For the first time in more than a century, salmon are swimming freely along