President Joe Biden on Wednesday held his first in-person meeting with families of some of the eight Americans still unaccounted for and presumed taken captive by Hamas during its deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, reassuring the families that his administration was committed to reuniting them with their loved ones.
The family members said in a statement following the meeting that they urged Biden to do “everything in his power to negotiate a swift and total release of the remaining hostages,” and they in turn offered to do “anything he needs” to win the hostages’ release.
“We felt before and we’re only reinforced in seeing and believing that we could have no better friend in Washington or in the White House than President Biden himself and his administration,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui is among the Americans believed to be held by Hamas.
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