On Tuesday, President Joe Biden told reporters that he was unsure if American hostages will be released from Hamas captivity.
The question — which was posed to Biden in a press conference — comes in the wake of ongoing negotiations between the United States and Hamas to end the militant group’s more than 18-month-long siege in the Gaza Strip.
“We don’t know,” Biden said, when asked if he knew when the captive American citizens would be released.
The president’s comments highlighted the complexity of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Hamas, with the militant group refusing to negotiate directly with the U.S., instead preferring to focus its diplomatic energies on Israel, Egypt, and Qatar.
In addition, Hamas officials have denied any knowledge of the whereabouts or status of the American hostages, though the group has released limited information indicating that some of the captives have been held in Gaza.
“It’s a terribly delicate matter, and we’re doing everything we can to work with all the parties that are involved,” Biden said in the press conference.
The White House has not yet offered any definitive timeline for the release of the hostages, though officials have indicated that a successful conclusion to the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Hamas could provide the necessary leverage to bring about their release.
In the meantime, Biden has said that his administration has levied harsh financial sanctions against Hamas in an effort to pressure the militant group into releasing the captives and putting an end to its years-long siege.
The president’s comments are a stark reminder of the fraught nature of U.S. relations with Hamas, and the potential consequences of President Biden’s diplomatic initiative.