US President Joe Biden said on Sunday 26 November that he was in favor of extending the truce. He was speaking following the release of a new group of hostages by Hamas, including a four-year-old American-Israeli child.
A four-year-old American girl is safely in Israel after being released Sunday from captivity in Gaza, US President Joe Biden said as he urged the pause in Israel-Hamas fighting be extended to allow for more hostage releases.
“She is now safely in Israel, and we continue to press and expect for additional Americans to be released as well. And we will not stop working until every hostage is returned to their loved ones.”
The White House has said that 10 Americans—seven men, two women and Abigail— were missing and presumed held hostage by Hamas.
Biden said a total of 58 hostages have now been released by Hamas during the current temporary halt in fighting, through what he called “intensive US diplomacy” by himself and administration officials working with Israel, Qatar, Egypt and others.
Biden also reiterated his support for the two-state solution. “The two-state solution is the only way to ensure permanent security for Israelis and Palestinians,” he said. He also added that he hoped to see the pause extended.
“That’s my goal, that’s our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza.”
The three-day-old truce “is delivering live-saving results,” Biden added.
“Critically needed aid is going in, and hostages are coming out,” he said, before adding that “thousands of children in Gaza are suffering because of the war.”
With AFP
