Biden Says He Doesn’t Know When American Hostages Will Be Released by Hamas Or Whether They’re Even Alive

President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday that he didn’t know when American hostages would be released by Hamas or whether they were even alive.

“Yesterday, families all across America gathered together with their loves ones to give thanks,” said Biden during a press conference following the release of 13 Israelis and 11 foreign nationals as part of an Israel-Hamas prisoner swap. “Today we can also be thankful of families being recruited and reunited with loved ones who have been held hostage for nearly 50 days.”

He continued:

As I said, today’s release are the start of a process. We expect more hostages to be released tomorrow and more the day after and more the day after that. Over the next few days, we expect that dozens of hostages will be returned to their families.

We also remember all those who are still being held and renew our commitment to work for their release as well. Two American women and one four-year-old child, Abigail, who remains among those missing.

We also will not stop until we get these hostages brought home and an answer to their whereabouts.

After a reporter asked, “Mr. President, when will the first American hostages be released, since none were included today?” Biden said, “We don’t know when that will occur, but we’re going to be— expect it to occur. And we don’t know what the list of all the hostages are and when they’ll be released, but we know the numbers that are going to be released. So, it is my hope and expectation it will be soon.”

Pressed, “And of the 10 Americans that are unaccounted for, do you know all of their conditions? Are they all alive?” Biden replied, “We don’t know all their conditions.”

Watch above via the White House.

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