President Joe Biden has issued a statement in response to the announcement of a ceasefire, emphasizing that American citizens taken hostage by Hamas will be part of the agreement for their release. “This agreement will put an end to the violence in Gaza, provide crucial humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and ultimately bring the hostages back to their families after enduring captivity for over 15 months,” President Biden stated.
President Biden has expressed his unwavering commitment to repatriating seven American hostages, three of whom are believed to be still alive. The specific identities of the individuals being released by Hamas and Israel have not yet been disclosed. Nevertheless, prior to the agreement being finalized on Wednesday, Hamas had indicated its willingness to transfer at least two of the seven American citizens under its custody – Sagui Dekel-Chen, aged 36, and Keith Siegel, aged 65. There is also a possibility that Edan Alexander, aged 20, may be among the hostages being released.
Tragically, some American hostages with confirmed citizenship have reportedly perished while in Hamas’ captivity, with their remains still held by the group. The deceased individuals include Itay Chen, aged 19, Omer Neutra, aged 22, as well as the married couple Judith Weinstein, aged 70, and Gadi Haggai, aged 73.
Since the outbreak of hostilities initiated by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have identified a total of 251 individuals being held as hostages by the militant group. Of these, 94 hostages are believed to still be in Gaza, with at least 34 fatalities confirmed among the captives.
This is an evolving situation, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available. For the latest details on the process of releasing hostages in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, please visit abcnews.go.com.
