White House reports presence of a young child as one of the American hostages held in Gaza

The White House has announced that a three-year-old American child, whose parents were killed by Hamas, is among the hostages being held in Gaza. President Joe Biden addressed the issue of the hostages, including the toddler, in a phone call with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar on Sunday. The White House has described efforts to free the hostages, who were taken after the Hamas attack on 7 October, as "urgent" and ongoing. There are currently 10 American citizens unaccounted for since the attack. President Biden condemned the holding of hostages, particularly young children, by Hamas during the call with Sheikh Tamim. Both leaders emphasized the need for the release of all hostages without further delay. Qatar has played a crucial role in securing the release of two US hostages in the past and continues to be involved in ongoing efforts. The Israel Defense Forces have reported that the hostages include 20 children and individuals over the age of 60. The US is actively engaged in negotiations to secure the release of the hostages, working alongside Israel and Qatar. President Biden's top Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, is traveling to the region this week to aid in the efforts. It is reported that nine US citizens and one permanent resident are currently missing. One of the main obstacles in the negotiations is the lack of a list of hostages held by Hamas. The conflict between Israel and Hamas began after the Hamas attacks last month resulted in numerous casualties and hostages. The death toll in Gaza since the conflict started is reported to be over 11,000, with over 4,500 children among the casualties. President Biden and Sheikh Tamim also discussed the importance of protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance to the territory.