US hopeful of more hostage releases

Published November 29, 2023

About 159 hostages remain in Gaza. The White House said on Tuesday this includes eight to nine Americans, Reuters reports.

US national security spokesperson John Kirby said the US was hopeful Hamas would release more Americans, and the US government would work with Qatar to extend the pause in fighting.

“We want to see all the hostages out. The way to do that is these pauses,” Kirby told reporters travelling on the president’s plane on Tuesday.

 Newly released Palestinian prisoner Rouba Assi is carried by supporters during a welcome ceremony for prisoners freed from Israeli jails during a welcome ceremony in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Nov 28, 2023. — AFP
Newly released Palestinian prisoner Rouba Assi is carried by supporters during a welcome ceremony for prisoners freed from Israeli jails during a welcome ceremony in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Nov 28, 2023. — AFP

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