More than 300 Americans and their family members have left Gaza but U.S. citizens remain in the besieged enclave and difficult negotiations continue on securing release of hostages taken by Hamas, a White House official said on Sunday.
Families and supporters of hostages that are being held in Gaza after they were kidnapped from Israel by Hamas gunmen on October 7, hold a demonstration to demand their immediate release, outside of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, November 5, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melvillebut U.S. citizens remain in the besieged enclave and difficult negotiations continue on securing release of hostages taken by Hamas, a White House official said on Sunday.
Finer said a number of Americans who want to get out remain inside Gaza as the Israel-Hamas conflict rages but did not specify how many.American citizens and their family members, totaling around 1,000 people, who wanted to get out, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week. Gaza has been under bombardment since Palestinian Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7 killed what Israel says were 1,400 people and took more than 240 captive into Gaza.
"Those negotiations are going on quietly behind the scenes. They have taken longer than any of us would like," Finer said. "But we continue to believe that there is the possibility of getting a significant number of these hostages released."in the hostilities to allow hostages to get out, and the White House has said it supports a "humanitarian pause" to allow aid deliveries to Gaza.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Biden says Americans in Gaza will be 'coming home' after dozens let outBiden says Hamas let 74 US citizens leave Gaza as hundreds remain
Read more »
Americans leaving Gaza report chaos, relief — and worry for people staying behindHundreds of Americans appeared on a list of passport holders approved to leave the territory, as President Biden called for a 'pause' in hostilities to allow for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Read more »
Veterans help Americans leaving Gaza: ‘Easier time getting people out of Afghanistan’Special operations veteran says getting Americans out of Gaza has been more challenging than many civilian rescue missions, including the Afghanistan evacuation.
Read more »
Israel's military announces a brief window for people in northern Gaza to flee southOfficials in Gaza have closed the one border crossing opened from Gaza into Egypt preventing people with foreign passports, including Americans, from fleeing.
Read more »
SF doctors, nurses denounce Gaza siege as public health crisis“When you have that level of attack on healthcare workers, there's a special obligation that we have as healthcare workers,' Ghannam said.
Read more »