WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Tuesday gave his most optimistic assessment yet that hostages being held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas could be released.
“I believe it’s going to happen, but I don’t want to get into details,” Biden told reporters.
Asked if he had a message for the families of the hostages, Biden told them: “Hang in there.”
“We’re coming,” he said on the day that tens of thousands of Israel supporters were expected to rally on the National Mall in part to demand the immediate release of the hostages.
Some of the families of Americans being held met at the White House Monday with Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser.
Nine Americans are still missing after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7and took more than 240 hostages back into Gaza.
It’s unclear how many hostages are currently there and if they’re still alive.
“We have been very transparent about the fact that we have limited visibility into both the whereabouts of the hostages within Gaza and their condition,” Sullivan told reporters Monday.
But, Sullivan added, the administration does have information indicating a “substantial number of hostages” are alive and could be part of any hostage release.
Those missing include many young children including a three-year-old who is an American citizen whose parents were killed by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Biden said he has been working every day to get the hostages released.
Qatar has been playing a key mediator role in the hostage negotiations.
More: Biden says Gaza hospitals ‘must be protected’ as fighting, fuel scarcity cripple them: Updates
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden optimistic hostages held by Hamas in Gaza will be released
