Washington
US President Joe Biden will meet family members of American hostages held by Hamas at the White House on Wednesday, an administration official confirmed to the New York Post.
The meeting will mark the first known in-person sit-down between the US President and families whose relatives were kidnapped by the Hamas during its October 7 attack on Israel. Biden has talked to some of the hostages’ family members via Zoom and other White House officials–most notably national security adviser Jake Sullivan–have been in contact with them as well, as per New York Post.
This comes after several family members of US citizens believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas, weren’t invited to the Hanukkah reception at the White House on Monday night, as per the father of a 19-year-old missing Israeli American, source had reported.
The citizens had reportedly asked to attend the Hanukkah reception.
Ruby Chen, whose son Itay is a reservist missing since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, said a number of the families of American hostages were in Washington, DC, this week and had reached out to the White House asking to attend the reception but were not invited. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.
The reception was held by US President Biden and first lady Jill Biden to celebrate the fifth night of Hanukkah. It featured some 800 guests, according to the White House, including Holocaust survivors, lawmakers and various Jewish leaders.
