9:22 pm ET, November 27, 2023
White House doesn’t believe Hamas deliberately held back 2 Americans who freed hostages, official says
From CNN’s MJ Lee and Sam Fossum
The White House does not believe Hamas intentionally held two American women who were expected to be freed as part of a hostage release, a senior Biden administration official said Monday.
The official said in a call with reporters that “so far” Hamas is deliberately holding two American women hostage based on their American citizenship.
The official did not elaborate on how that trust administration came about.
The White House said three Americans — 4 years old Abigail EdenThe man and the two women – who were freed on Sunday – were expected to be among 50 hostages released by Hamas during the four-day ceasefire.
The Biden administration still hopes the two women will be freed, the official said, pointing to a deal in which Hamas pledged to “20” that additional hostages would be freed in the next two days.
CNN previously reported that Qatar said an agreement had been reached Extend the ceasefire in Gaza within two additional days. Under the deal, Hamas would release 10 hostages each day, a senior Israeli adviser said.
That leaves open the possibility that the two American women could be released on Tuesday or Wednesday.
In the coming days, further discussions will take place between all parties on extending the humanitarian moratorium to free more hostages held by Hamas, the official said.
“We will see where we are after two days,” the official said.
