Families of Americans held hostage by Hamas meet with Biden at White House

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The families of eight Americans who are believed to be held hostage by Hamas have met with President Joe Biden at the White House as his administration works to secure the release of their loved ones.

The families met Biden on Wednesday in a meeting they told reporters during a press conference afterward that they came away from feeling that all was being done to free those they love.

"We felt that, and we felt before and we were only reinforced in seeing and believing that we could have no better friend in Washington or in the White House than President Biden himself and his administration," Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, said while holding a picture of his missing 35-year-old son.

Sagui Dekel-Chen was among the some 240 people who were taken hostage by Hamas in its bloody surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Last month, amid war between Israel and Hamas, a weeklong cease-fire was secured, and Hamas released 105 of the hostages it held.

Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie Raanan, were released on Oct. 20, becoming the first two Americans held captive to secure their freedom. Last month, 4-year-old U.S. citizen Abigail Edan was among 14 hostages released during another pause in fighting. And days later, American Israeli Liat Beinin Atzili was also freed during a subsequent release of 16 more hostages.

More than 130 people are believed to be still held hostage by Hamas, including the eight Americans whose families spoke with Biden on Wednesday.

The elder Dekel-Chen told reporters that the Biden administration has been in contact with them throughout the ordeal, stating the president held a video call with them "just a few short days" after their loved ones were taken hostage.

"And since that time, we've been in frequent and very transparent contact with administration officials," he said, adding that "the U.S. administration is completely committed to getting the hostages out, the eight Americans who remain there.

"We have no doubt about that. And today's meeting with President Biden and Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken only reinforced that and that they are willing and ready to do all that they possibly can by any number of means to get the hostages home."

Liz Naftali, Edan's great aunt, added that the administration also talks of their family members not simply as hostages but as people.

"What the president and Secretary Blinken understand is that they are just not numbers, they are sons, they are sons, they are grandparents ,they are mothers and that is what the president and his team understand," she said.

"We appreciate, we are thankful to the president and to his team because they are working 24 hours a day and they're going to work through the holidays and they are going to do everything they can to make sure that our loved ones -- real people -- come home to us and to the families across the world and in Israel," she said.