Biden Expresses Hope That Three-Year-Old American Girl Will Be Among Those Released

U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday that he hopes a three-year-old American girl who has been taken hostage in Gaza will be among those released in a hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas on Friday. Biden, speaking to reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, said, "I have my fingers crossed." An American official stated that among the 50 women and children under 19 being released by Hamas, there are three American citizens, including a girl who will turn four on Friday. However, Biden added that he cannot provide any new information until a complete agreement is reached. Biden also mentioned that he will not rest until other Americans imprisoned abroad, such as Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, and Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter imprisoned in Russia, are freed. Qatar, the main mediator in the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, announced that both sides will begin a four-day ceasefire on Friday morning, December 3, during which the first group of Israeli hostages will be released later that day. This agreement was announced 46 days after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, marking one of the most intense conflicts between the two sides. Hamas, backed financially and militarily by the Islamic Republic, targeted Israel with rocket attacks on October 7 (15 Mehr) and killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, while taking around 240 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Initial negotiations for an agreement between Israel and Hamas began a few days after the October 7 attack, but progress was slow. American officials stated that this was partly due to the need for communications between the parties to go through Doha or Cairo, requiring sufficient time for every detail, including compiling a complete list of hostages taken by Hamas. According to Reuters, even with the agreement, the ceasefire is temporary. Hamas has stated that it will keep its "fingers on the trigger" during this time. Israel has also stated that the war will continue until all hostages are released and Hamas is eradicated.