The families of hostages believed to be held by Hamas demanded results from the Biden administration after a meeting Tuesday with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose 23-year-old son Hersh is being held by Hamas in the Gaza strip, said they no longer want “progress” on bringing the hostages home, but results.
“We are thinking of all 133 souls who are being held,” she told reporters at the White House after meeting with Ms. Harris. “We want results.”
Others say they are still hopeful that Hamas will come to the negotiating table and strike a hostage deal.
“We are waiting now and the world waits for Hamas to get to ‘yes.’ It is in their court,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen.
Ms. Harris offered reassurance that the Biden administration has “no higher priority” than reuniting hostages with their families, according to a White House readout. She also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to bring home the remains of those who have been confirmed dead.
The vice president also updated the families on the U.S. efforts to secure the release of all hostages and secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the White House said.
Five Americans remain unaccounted for and are believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas during its Oct. 7 sneak attack on Israel.
One hostage, Itay Chen, a 19-year-old Israeli solider with dual Israel-U.S. citizenship, was confirmed dead last month.
The families were in Washington to mark the six-month anniversary of Hamas’ terror attack. They met with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday.
Ms. Harris had previously met with the families in late October.
Israeli officials have said about 240 people were believed to have been taken hostage during the attack last fall. Less than half of those captured have been returned more than six months after the brutal assault on the Jewish state.
Representatives from several nations gathered in Cairo over the weekend to restart negotiations to release the remaining hostages being held by Hamas.
U.S. and Qatar began diplomatic talks in October when dual U.S.-Israeli hostages — a Chicago teenager and her mother — were released. A weeklong pause in fighting in November saw more than 100 hostages released, including two U.S. citizens, one of whom was four years old.
In late December, the final American woman believed to be among the hostages, Judi Weinstein Haggain, was confirmed by Israel to have died.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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