Families of hostages still held in Gaza, who are also U.S. citizens, are set to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday evening at around 10:00 p.m. Israel time. Biden also plans to meet with President-elect Donald Trump during the day, although Trump will not attend the meeting with the hostage families. This marks the third such gathering at the White House since the outbreak of the conflict.
"Our aim is to encourage the outgoing administration to collaborate vigorously and decisively with the incoming administration to resolve the situation and bring the hostages home. They must do whatever it takes," Ronen Neutra, father of hostage Omer, told Ynet.
This meeting with Biden follows a nighttime engagement during which families met with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. They urged him and the administration to work with Trump and his transition team, dedicating all available resources to sign an agreement that will bring all the hostages back to Israel before Biden's term ends. In their 14th meeting with Sullivan since the war began, the families expressed gratitude for the administration's support for Israel. Sullivan reiterated the administration's "unwavering commitment to bringing the hostages home," emphasizing that the issue remains "a top priority for President Biden."
"After meeting with Sullivan, we encouraged him to engage with his new counterpart and begin collaborative efforts," Neutra explained. "Many new team members were appointed tonight, and it's crucial for these teams to start meeting. That was our objective, and we hope these meetings will expedite the process."
Neutra also noted that Trump conveyed his desire to resolve the hostage issue before taking office, with three months available to achieve this. "Now we must work with full force and, ultimately, both leaders deserve credit if they succeed. It's up to them now. We are very hopeful to hear from President Biden that this issue transcends party lines and that the teams will quickly commence joint work."
Israeli President Herzog meeting US President Biden
Meanwhile, sources from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that the families made a request for an official meeting with Trump, but due to the president-elect's "schedule constraints," it did not materialize.
On Tuesday, President Isaac Herzog met with Biden, expressing gratitude for his continued support for Israel throughout his presidency. Herzog acknowledged Biden's efforts for the hostages' release and stressed that Israel is preparing for the "day after" in Gaza, but emphasized that the hostages' return is paramount. The president agreed. At the meeting's conclusion, Herzog remarked that he anticipates the coming period will present "many challenges related to Israel's security and numerous critical issues concerning bilateral relations."
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