Rescuing American hostages in Gaza is the “top priority” for the Biden administration, national security adviser Jake Sullivan stressed on Sunday.
But Sullivan was coy about whether the administration is considering sending Navy Seals to conduct rescue operations, noting that one complication is that the United States does not know where many of the hostages are located.
“The president has been very clear that he has no higher priority than getting Americans back safely,” Sullivan told CNN’s “State of the Union,” when pressed by moderator Jake Tapper on how Israel is “bombing Gaza.” .
“We have to continue to refine our understanding of where they are,” he continued. “We know that 15 Americans are missing, but we cannot confirm the exact number of American hostages held by Hamas at this time.”
A hypothetical prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which is a U.S.-designated terrorist group, is not currently in the works, Sullivan said.
“We haven’t looked at that. We haven’t heard anything like that from them. That is not something that is currently under active discussion and has not been proposed,” she said.
Jake Sullivan said the recovery of hostages in Gaza is a high priority for the Biden administration. Chris Kleponis / CNP / SplashNews.com American-Israeli families hold a press conference about their loved ones who were taken hostage by Hamas during the attack. Debbie Hill/UPI/Shutterstock There are 15 Americans missing after the terrorist attacks, according to the State Department. Debbie Hill/UPI/Shutterstock
“Biden has demonstrated over the past few years that he will make difficult decisions to return American hostages home. In this case, our focus is on working through those third country channels and I will leave it at that for now.”
At least 29 Americans have been killed since Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel last week, and 15 are missing, according to the US State Department.
More than 1,300 Israelis and 2,329 Palestinians have been killed in the bloody war that broke out on October 7, according to local authorities.
A Hamas terrorist kidnaps a person during the Supernova music festival. ANONYMOUS/AFP via Getty Images
Tapper later questioned Sullivan about why the administration had not spoken out about Israel’s rejection of energy and supplies to Gaza, comparing it to rhetoric about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnation of cutting off critical supplies to Ukraine.
“Israel is not Russia,” Sullivan responded, adding that those in Gaza “deserve, as I said before, access to water, medicine and food. And we are actively working to ensure that happens.”
Follow The Post’s live blog for the latest on Hamas’ attack on Israel.
“I have been in contact with my Israeli counterparts just in the last hour, who informed me that they have, in fact, reopened the water pipeline in southern Gaza,” he added.
Sullivan further stated that the United States is working with Israel to ensure that “innocent Palestinians have access to those basic needs and are protected from bombing.”
Sullivan said the Biden administration is not currently working on a prison swap deal with Hamas. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to make Hamas pay the price for its surprise attack earlier this month.REUTERS
Israel has urged Palestinians to flee Gaza City ahead of a possible ground invasion that has triggered threats from Iran.
“The critical thing from our perspective is that there are safe places for civilians to go, that are not subject to military bombardment, where they can be physically safe and where they can have access to food, water, medicine and shelter.” essential. “Sullivan told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
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