Families of American hostages to meet with White House national security adviser Thursday
By Arlette Saenz, CNN
(CNN) — White House National security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet Thursday with families of the Americans believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas, a White House official told CNN.
Several families of American hostages are in Washington, DC, this week around the 100-day mark of their loved ones being taken after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
“103 days is 103 days too many and we are running out of time. The hostages are running out of time,” Jon Polin – the father of Hersch Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen held hostage – said at a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, alongside the families of other Israelis and Americans still held captive. “And as Americans, we expect the United States, the greatest superpower in the history of the world, to use its full power to secure the hostages’ release.”
Four Americans have been released since the start of the war and the US believes six Americans remain in captivity in Gaza.
The White House has extended invitations to the family members of all six hostages, the official said. It’s not immediately clear how many family members will attend.
More than 100 people were released by Hamas during a seven-day truce with Israel late last year. Soon after the truce ended, multiple senior administration officials told CNN that additional hostage release talks had stalled.
Thursday’s meeting comes a month after President Joe Biden met with family members of the Americans still held hostage from the Hamas attack. At the time, the relatives said the president made clear that his administration is committed to bringing their loved ones home.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that he discussed efforts to secure the release of hostages as part of a day of talks with top Israeli officials.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Alex Marquardt, MJ Lee, and Michael Williams contributed to this report.
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