Biden to Meet Families of American Hostages in Gaza This Week

President Joe Biden is set to meet with the families of Americans believed to be held hostage in Gaza later this week.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan informed the families in a Monday meeting that the president would meet with them soon, a source told CNN.

Biden is also expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to a U.S. official. However, the timing of this meeting has been uncertain as Biden recovers from COVID-19. The president has been isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, since his diagnosis last week and is scheduled to return to the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

Currently, eight dual American citizens are believed to be held captive in Gaza, with three confirmed dead. The Biden administration has not provided information on the well-being or whereabouts of the five who may still be alive.

These meetings come as Biden continues to push for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, a proposal that has not yet been finalized. During a call to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign headquarters on Monday, Biden emphasized the importance of maintaining alliances, advocating for peace, and securing the return of hostages, hinting that progress is being made.

“I’ve been working very closely with the Israelis and with the Palestinians to try to work out how we can get the Gaza war to end, achieve Middle East peace, and bring all those hostages home. I think we’re on the verge of being able to do that,” Biden said.

A State Department spokesperson echoed Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s comments, stating that a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas is “inside the 10-yard line,” though some issues remain unresolved.

“We continue discussions with other mediators and with the Israeli government to try to reach a resolution, but we don’t have that yet, and I can’t predict when we might finalize one,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a Monday press briefing.

Netanyahu is traveling to Washington, D.C., to address Congress and meet with Biden and Harris. However, Miller did not confirm whether a deal would be reached by then.