National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that there was “reason to believe” an American citizen is among the next group of hostages slated to be released by the Hamas terror group.
Mr. Sullivan’s comments during an interview Sunday with NBC’s “Meet the Press” came amid growing uncertainty over Hamas’ commitment to upholding its end of the four-day truce and prisoner-swap deal with Israel that began Friday.
Hamas released a second group of hostages on Saturday night and was expected to transfer a third group to Israel Sunday. However, Israeli officials said the terror group had begun blocking humanitarian aid flows.
The allowance of humanitarian aid into Gaza was a key element of the delicate truce and swap deal struck last week.
Under the deal, Israel agreed to swap 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails for 50 hostages taken by Hamas during the group’s Oct. 7 terror assault on Israel.
Israel had freed 78 Palestinians as of Sunday morning, while Hamas had released 26 Israelis and four Thai nationals.
Reuters reported that Egypt, which is helping to mediate the truce and swap deal, has said it received lists of 13 Israelis and 39 Palestinians scheduled for a third release on Sunday.
U.S. officials have said there are at least nine Americans still missing in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
Mr. Sullivan told NBC on Sunday that and others in the Biden administration “have reason to believe that one of those Americans will be released today.”
He declined to give the identity of the hostage.
Some reports have claimed the American may be a 4-year-old girl whose parents were killed.
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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