White House: No evidence of Hamas using prisoners as leverage!

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council, said there is no indication that Hamas is trying to leverage the situation by holding US citizens (in Gaza). In a press statement, Kirby responded to the question "Is Hamas using US prisoners as leverage?" in the prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas. Kirby stated that there is no evidence that Hamas is trying to use this situation as leverage by holding US prisoners (in Gaza).

Commenting on the number of US prisoners held by Hamas, Kirby said, "First of all, the number of Americans (held by Hamas) is quite small, and the number of those who are eligible for release right now, women and children, is even smaller."

John Kirby said that the United States will not support operations in southern Gaza until Israel is held accountable for the displaced Gazans. Referring to the "humanitarian pause" that was extended for 2 days as a result of the mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, Kirby reported that 12 prisoners, 10 Israelis and 2 Thai nationals, were released by Hamas. Kirby noted that there were no US citizens among the latest releases and said, "But we are hopeful, today has tomorrow."

On November 26, US President Joe Biden stated that a 4-year-old Israeli citizen was released as part of the prisoner swap agreement reached between Hamas and Israel. Latest situation in Israel's occupation of Gaza On the morning of October 7, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, launched a comprehensive offensive to "respond to Israel's continuous violations against Palestinians and their holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque", while the Israeli army launched intense aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip. It was announced that 1200 Israelis, including more than 310 soldiers, were killed and 5,132 people were injured in the attacks on October 7. According to the Israeli army, 70 Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes in Gaza and 6 Israeli soldiers have been killed on the Lebanese border since October 7. According to the government in Gaza, the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 15,000, including more than 6,150 children and 4,000 women. In the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, 242 Palestinians have been killed in attacks by Israeli forces and Jewish settlers since October 7. In Gaza, the Israeli army shelled dozens of hospitals in Gaza, where tens of thousands of wounded and civilians were sheltering, forcing them to evacuate their compounds or main buildings. Some hospitals were raided during the occupation. Hundreds of people were killed and injured in the attacks. Since October 8, 85 Hezbollah members have been killed in clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah on the border. Prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Israel The agreement between Israel and Hamas for a four-day "humanitarian pause" in hostilities came into effect at 07:00 (08:00 GMT) on Friday, November 24. So far, 61 Israeli prisoners, including one man, women and children, have been released from the Gaza Strip, and 180 Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli prisons as part of the prisoner swap agreement as part of the "humanitarian pause" compromise between Israel and Hamas. Qatar announced on November 27 that the "humanitarian pause" was extended for another two days as a result of mediation between Hamas and Israel.