President Joe Biden penned letters to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, urging them to use their influence to broker a hostage deal with Hamas, according to a senior official in his administration.
This move follows Biden’s recent call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intensify efforts to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Joe Biden (Credits: The White House)
The official, who requested anonymity to discuss the private correspondence, revealed that Biden’s national security adviser will meet with the families of some of the approximately 100 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza.
Biden’s letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani coincide with the deployment of CIA Director Bill Burns to Cairo for discussions on the hostage crisis.
President Joe Biden (Credits: ABC News)
Administration officials emphasize the necessity of negotiating a temporary halt in hostilities between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the exchange of hostages in Gaza for Palestinian detainees in Israel. They argue that this is crucial for implementing a ceasefire and improving the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the region.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby highlighted Biden’s insistence on securing a hostage deal during a recent conversation with Netanyahu. Kirby emphasized the dire conditions endured by the hostages, stressing the urgency of reuniting them with their families.
