President Joe Biden expressed optimism on Saturday about the potential release of more American hostages in the second phase of the prisoner and hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel. This development occurred on the second day of the Gaza ceasefire, following the liberation of two individuals in the initial exchange on Friday.
A White House official announced that President Biden had successfully facilitated the release of two American citizens as part of a larger group of approximately 50 hostages during the four-day halt in hostilities. However, conflicting reports suggested that Hamas disputed Biden's assurances regarding further releases in the first phase.
An unnamed U.S. government official, involved in the process, stated, "We are early in the process that will see at least 50 women and children released during the first phase of the agreement. We are hopeful that will include three dual national women and children, who are American citizens. This will unfold over the coming days. We will not comment on individual cases as the process is underway,” news agency IANS quoted an US government official, who did not want to be identified, as saying.
President Biden, in a televised address, emphasized his commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state as a crucial step towards ending the cycle of violence. He welcomed the release of Israeli hostages and expressed anticipation for additional releases, along with the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.
Biden underscored the significance of pursuing a two-state solution, stating, "Our resolve to pursue a two-state solution is more important now than ever. To continue down the path of terror and violence is to give Hamas what they seek, and we can't do that."
A Qatari operations team arrived in Tel Aviv to oversee the smooth continuation of the truce deal. Detailed discussions on the ceasefire and the prisoner swap were expected to take place while reviewing the progress of the four-day truce, according to a diplomat.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official raised concerns about inadequate aid reaching northern Gaza, potentially jeopardizing the entire agreement. The International Red Crescent responded by dispatching 61 trucks to the region, marking the largest aid delivery so far.
Taher al-Nono, an adviser to Hamas' political bureau, accused Israel of not fully adhering to key terms of the cease-fire, particularly regarding the amount of aid reaching northern Gaza. He expressed concern about the potential risks to completing the process.
Qatar's lead negotiator, Minister Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, remained optimistic about Hamas fulfilling its promise to locate any civilian hostages held by other groups in Gaza. He emphasized ongoing monitoring of Hamas's commitment to allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross to assess all released hostages.
The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza was underscored, with over 1.7 million people displaced and a death toll surpassing 14,500, according to health officials. The IDF estimated 1,200 casualties in the October 7 Hamas attack, with over 200 people held hostage in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were believed to remain in devastated northern Gaza due to Israeli military attacks.
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