Readout of Vice President Harris's Meeting with Families of Americans Taken Hostage by Hamas

Vice President Kamala Harris met today with families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. The Vice President underscored that President Biden and she have no higher priority than reuniting the hostages with their loved ones. She also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to bring home the remains of those who have been tragically confirmed to be deceased. The Vice President again condemned Hamas as a brutal terrorist organization and its horrific use of sexual violence, reaffirmed that the threat Hamas poses to Israel must be eliminated, and denounced the rise of antisemitism worldwide. The Vice President expressed her continued support for these families and they discussed the agony and pain felt over the past 6 months. The Vice President told them that they and their loved ones remain at the forefront of her mind and in her prayers as the Biden-Harris Administration works to secure the release of all the hostages. The Vice President provided an update on U.S. efforts to secure the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.