Biden: ‘I will not rest until all the hostages are released – they have my word’

US President Joe Biden posted a photograph of himself with some of the children who had been held hostage in Gaza, but who were released in November including Abigail Eden, 4, who holds dual Israeli-American citizenship.

They have my word," he said, adding “Their families have my word.” 

I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas is back in the arms of their loved ones.They have my word.Their families have my word. pic.twitter.com/hRDSjsYDc9

— President Biden (@POTUS) April 27, 2024

On Friday, President Biden released a statement, also on X, highlighting Israeli-American Abigail Edan, who was in her father's arms when he was shot and killed by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 during an attack in Kfar Aza.

Her mother was also shot and killed as Abigail hid in her neighbor’s home and her older siblings, six-year-old Amalia and nine-year-old Michael survived the massacre, hiding in a closet next to their mother's body.

Abigail was released in November

Abigail was released in a hostage-prisoner exchange deal in late November, after 52 days in captivity. 

"She’s remarkable and recovering from unspeakable trauma," Biden said on X, while sharing a picture of him and Abigail together.  "Our time together yesterday was a reminder of the work we have in front of us to secure the release of all remaining hostages."

Last year, we secured the release of Abigail, a 4-year-old who was being held by Hamas.She’s remarkable and recovering from unspeakable trauma.Our time together yesterday was a reminder of the work we have in front of us to secure the release of all remaining hostages. pic.twitter.com/M7bNHzZxfM

— President Biden (@POTUS) April 25, 2024

The meeting came on the same day a joint statement was released from the leaders of the United States, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom calling for the release of hostages still held in Gaza was released. 

The statement called the release of the hostages from Gaza an issue of "international concern." 

The statement continues, "We emphasize that the deal on the table to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, that would facilitate a surge of additional necessary humanitarian assistance to be delivered throughout Gaza, and lead to the credible end of hostilities."

The statement concluded with a call to release the hostages in order for the countries to be able to "focus [their] efforts on bringing peace and stability to the region."

Fresh momentum in hostage negotiations

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told MSNBC on Friday he saw fresh momentum in talks to end the war and return the remaining hostages.

But the US continued to speak out against Israel’s Rafah operation, which has evoked international opposition, due to concern that it would pose a humanitarian disaster to the more than 1.3 million Palestinians there. Many of them fled to the Rafah area to escape bombing in the northern part of Gaza.

The US has said it would only approve such an operation if Israel provided plans to ensure the safety of civilians in that area.

US State Department Deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington on Thursday that, “We continue to not hesitate about being clear-eyed about any opposition that we have as it relates to a military operation in Rafah that does not address for the very serious humanitarian concerns that we have.”

Veteran journalist Thomas Friedman wrote, in an opinion piece in The New York Times on Friday that the Biden administration was privately telling Israel not to enter Rafah. "US officials tell me," he wrote,  "that if Israel does mount a major military operation in Rafah, over the administration’s objections, President Biden would consider restricting certain arms sales to Israel."