WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned on Tuesday he’s engaged in each day discussions to safe the discharge of hostages held by the Hamas militant group and believes it can occur.

“Hang in there, we’re coming,” Biden mentioned on the White House, when requested by reporters what his message to relations of hostages was.

Biden mentioned he speaks each day with the events concerned in negotiations over a doable hostage launch, however didn’t wish to share the main points.

Shortly after his remarks, the White House mentioned Biden’s prime adviser on the Middle East, Brett McGurk, is heading to the area for talks with officers in Israel, the West Bank, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and different nations.

“In Israel, he will discuss Israel’s security needs, the imperative of protecting civilians in the course of military operations, as well as ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages, and the need to rein in violent extremist settlers in the West Bank,” it mentioned in an announcement.

Hamas fighters surged throughout the border from Gaza into Israel on Oct.7, killing about 1,200 individuals and taking round 240 hostages, in accordance with Israeli officers. Only 4 hostages have been launched thus far.

In a White House assertion on Sunday, Biden “unequivocally” condemned the holding of hostages by Hamas, together with many younger kids, one in all whom is a 3-year outdated American citizen whose mother and father have been killed by the group on Oct. seventh.

The households of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas within the Gaza Strip kicked off a five-day march on Tuesday from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to demand the federal government do extra to safe their launch.

In Washington, supporters deliberate a “March for Israel” in a while Tuesday, following giant protests throughout the United States and the world in opposition to Israel’s army marketing campaign in Gaza.

The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has killed greater than 11,000 Palestinians, round 40% of them kids, in accordance with well being officers within the Hamas-ruled territory.

Reuters final week reported that Qatar, the place a number of political leaders of Hamas are primarily based, has been leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israeli officers over the hostages.

Violence has additionally been escalating within the West Bank, the place a minimum of 176 Palestinians have been killed in incidents involving Israeli safety forces because the starting of October and a minimum of one other eight Palestinians killed by Israeli settlers, in accordance with the U.N. human rights chief.

Israel has mentioned it has been conducting counter-terrorism operations in opposition to militants from Hamas and different Palestinian armed factions within the West Bank.

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