Joe Biden Meets with Families of American Hostages Captured by Hamas

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden held his first in-person meeting with the families of some of the eight Americans believed to have been taken hostage during Hamas's deadly terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. There is currently no news about these eight Americans. The White House announced the meeting with the families of these American citizens. According to the Associated Press, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Deputy National Security Advisor John Finer also attended the meeting with the President. The White House stated that 13 family members attended in person, while three others joined the discussion with the President and his advisors via phone. Previously, the President had met virtually with some relatives of the hostages and spoken by phone with others. It was expected that during this meeting, Mr. Biden would provide information about the U.S. efforts to secure the release of individuals held by Hamas. John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, told CNN that the President assured the relatives of the hostages that the White House would not cease its efforts to bring them back. Hamas and Islamic Jihad killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 terrorist attack in southern Israel and took approximately 240 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Australia, and several other countries have classified Hamas and Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations. An American warship shot down Houthi drones, and Israel reported the death of 10 of its soldiers in Gaza.