Washington- President Biden welcomed 13 family members of Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel at the White House on Wednesday, his first in-person meeting.
Those who attended and spoke afterward declined to reveal details of the meeting but said they recognized that the president and his administration were working hard to secure the release of their loved ones.
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 35-year-old Israeli-American, said the families “couldn’t have a better friend” in Washington than Mr. Biden.
“I think we all came away with the feeling that as families of hostages, American-Israeli hostages, which are eight out of a total of 138 hostages, we felt this – we had felt this before, and we were only strengthened by seeing and believing that we could “I have no better friend, in Washington or the White House, than President Biden himself and his administration,” Dekel-Chen said.
Liz Naftali, the great-aunt of the recently released 4-year-old Abigail Plus Edan, said the president and his team understand that their loved ones are more than just “hostages.” Abigail’s parents were killed in the October 7 attacks and she was taken hostage.
“They are sons, they are grandparents, they are mothers,” Naftali said. “And that’s what the president and his team understand.”
Evan Vucci / AP
Naftali said she knows the president and his team are working “around the clock” and during the holidays to ensure the return of every American citizen.
The meeting took place a few weeks after the president held a video conference. with families in October. Other senior Biden administration officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, met with the families in person.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer joined the president at the White House meeting Wednesday. Family members in attendance included:
- Yael and Adi Alexandre
- Ruby and Roy Chen
- Ronen and Orna Neutra
- Jonathan Dekel-Chen
- Gillian Kaye
- Aviva, Elan, Shir and Hanna Siegel
- Liz Naftali
Three other family members – Jon Polin, Rachel Goldberg and Iris Haggai – were reached by telephone, according to the White House.
Israel has accused Hamas of capturing more than 240 people during its brutal rampage in southern Israel on October 7, when more than 1,200 Israelis were killed by the group. The United States has designated Hamas a terrorist organization.
More than 100 hostages, including two Americans, Edan, 4 years old, and 49 years old Liat Beininwere released during a one-week ceasefire in November in the war between Israel and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Around 240 Palestinians were also released from Israeli prisons during the break in fighting. Two other Americans, who have dual US-Israeli citizenship, were released at the end of October after being detained by Hamas.
Around 137 hostages are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza. Fewer than ten Americans are still missing, estimates the White House. At least 31 Americans were killed in the October 7 attacks.
Other families feel ignored
Families of Americans held abroad for years stood outside the White House on Tuesday, questioning why the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas were granted a meeting with Mr. Biden when their repeated requests had been ignored.
“We are happy that the president is meeting with the (families of) the Gaza hostages, but when he tells all of our families – or his team tells all of our families – that we are the highest priority, these actions do not clearly make no sense.” I don’t emphasize it,” Harrison Li told CBS News. His father, Kai Li, has been detained in China since 2012.
“It’s a punch in the gut,” Li added. “What message does he send if he meets some people and not others?”
CBS News
Li is part of a group of family members of Americans unjustly detained and held hostage around the world who call themselves the Bring Our Families Home campaign. The group set up picnic blankets with plates and photos of their family members outside the White House gates to signify the empty seats at their party tables.
Aida Dagher, the sister-in-law of Zack Shahin, imprisoned in Dubai, said the lack of recognition from the president made them feel like “we don’t matter.”
“We are second-class citizens. First-class citizens will meet tomorrow,” she told CBS News. “It’s nice if you meet families. We’re happy for them. But why not us? We begged for it.”
In May, families made a similar plea in front of the White House so Mr. Biden could meet them.
Li said no one had given him an answer as to why Mr. Biden had not met with them.
“It would at least show us that he cares,” Li said of what a reunion would mean for them. “The suffering…it’s heartbreaking. We just need the president to hear this.”
Sara Cook contributed to this report.