WASHINGTON – National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is set to meet Tuesday morning hostage families Americans believed to be under the control of Hamas in Gaza, according to a senior administration official.
The White House meeting comes at the most critical point yet in the eight-month-old conflict fragile negotiations for a possible ceasefire agreement This includes President Joe Biden releasing the remaining hostages in several stages was mentioned in a surprise address friday
After Biden’s speech on Friday, Sullivan is expected to provide a “regular update” and all families are expected to be represented in person or by phone, according to details initially shared with NBC News.
It will be Sullivan’s ninth meeting with the families since October 7, when Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 in Israel.
Biden called on Israel and Hamas to accept the latest offer, stressing Friday that he believes “it’s time for the war to end.” But it is unclear whether Hamas will accept the deal, and Israel and the US have traded different versions they wonder what the deal is.
Throughout the war, senior White House officials regularly contacted the hostages’ families. Four Americans have been freed since the war began, and the Biden administration believes Hamas is still holding five American citizens.
Hamas is believed to have killed several US citizens on October 7, and then transported their bodies to Gaza. Their families are demanding the release of their loved ones’ remains.
Negotiations on the bailout deal have faced many obstacles in recent months. Talks most recently stalled before this latest round of talks last month.
A US official said that Sullivan met last week with 17 diplomats from countries whose citizens are detained by Hamas in Gaza. The United States agreed to a joint statement by all countries calling for the release of the hostages released in April.
Participating countries are: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand and the United Kingdom.