Kamala Harris Meets Families of Hamas Captives
“We are waiting now, and the world waits for Hamas to get to ‘yes.’ It is in their court,” a family member said.
WASHINGTON—Vice President Kamala Harris met on April 9 with families of Americans taken hostage by the terrorist group Hamas for more than 180 days.
The vice president updated the families on the U.S. efforts to secure the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“We don’t want any more progress. We want results,” said Rachel Goldberg, mother of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was violently abducted during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
“We need our people home,” she told reporters following the meeting with the vice president.
The terrorist group is holding nearly 130 people hostage, including eight American civilians.
“We have no choice but to stay hopeful,” said Jon Polin, Ms. Goldberg-Polin’s husband. “We have felt tremendous support from people around the world.”
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Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, said they are encouraging all parties to reach a deal.
“What we have heard is that there is a deal on the table right now that all of the parties agree to and are willing to work with,” he told reporters. “We are waiting now, and the world waits for Hamas to get to ‘yes.’ It is in their court.”
Mr. Dekel-Chen noted that his son, who is 35 years old, is now a father of three. His third daughter was born in mid-December.
“There is no reason not to move forward on this deal. All of the intermediaries are in favor. And we—all of us—will see shortly if Hamas cares enough about its own people, to say nothing of our loved ones, to move towards de-escalation,” he said.
Hamas stated on April 9 that the current conditions of the deal did not meet its demand, following lengthy negotiations between the parties. The latest plan was presented to Hamas over the weekend during talks held in Cairo.
The proposed deal would have allowed the release of some 40 Israeli hostages in return for a temporary truce and the release of nearly 900 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel “remains stubborn and has not responded to any of the demands of our people and our resistance,” Hamas said in a statement issued on April 9, per media reports.
“One thing that worries us is that over the last few weeks, it seems that there’s a narrative spreading to de-link hostage release from the de-escalation of the military actions,” Mr. Polin told reporters. “I don’t believe that is possible. I don’t believe that the Israeli government will agree to that. These two things must be linked.”
In a statement on April 9, Ms. Harris condemned the “brutal terrorist organization and its horrific use of sexual violence.”
“The Vice President underscored that President Biden and she have no higher priority than reuniting the hostages with their loved ones,” the statement reads. “She also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to bring home the remains of those who have been tragically confirmed to be deceased.”
