US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents and the release of hostages taken by Hamas, the White House said on Sunday.
"The President welcomed the first two convoys of humanitarian assistance since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, which crossed the border into Gaza and is being distributed to Palestinians in need. The leaders affirmed that there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance into Gaza … The leaders discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas – including US citizens – and to provide for safe passage for US citizens and other civilians in Gaza who wish to depart," the White House said in a statement.
Biden also thanked the Israeli government for "helping to accommodate the release of two American hostages," the statement added.
On Friday, spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades, a military wing of Hamas, Abu Obaida, said that Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip released two US hostages, a mother and her daughter, on "humanitarian grounds." On Saturday, Hamas said that it planned to release two more hostages, but the Israeli side allegedly rejected the offer.
