Biden: We have no higher priority than freeing the hostages

US President Joe Biden pledged to do everything possible to secure the release of over 200 people held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, including some US citizens.

“There is no higher priority than the release and safe return of all these hostages,” Biden said during a one-day solidarity mission to Israel.

He said he also backed Israel’s call for Hamas to allow the Red Cross to visit the hostages.

Biden met during the afternoon with a small number of families who lost loved ones during the attack either because they were killed or taken hostage as well as survivors and first responders to Hamas’ October 7 attack.

What other nations are communicating with Hamas?

Turkey is now in talks with Hamas to secure the release of hostages but there "is nothing concrete" for now, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was cited as saying Wednesday.

Fidan said on Tuesday that Ankara was discussing the release of foreigners, civilians, and children held by Hamas, and added "many countries" had asked for Turkey's help in facilitating the release of their citizens.

"Talks, work on the prisoner swap continue. There are talks and meetings held through intelligence units, but, in the heat of the first days, it was not possible to create a framework for this," Fidan told representatives from Turkish media this week, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Fidan added that other countries, namely Qatar, were also engaged in talks with Hamas leaders, who are currently in Qatar.

In 2011, Israel swapped hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to win the release of one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who was held for five years. The exchange was criticized at the time by some Israelis as too lopsided.