Foreign. Welcome to MEET THE press. Now I'm Kristen Welker in Washington, where we are covering breaking news in both the Israeli Hamas war and the sneaker fight on Capitol Hill. We will get to the latest on the ongoing paralysis on the Hill coming up.
But we do begin with the latest developments. After two American hostages held in Gaza, Judith and Natalie Rahman, have been released by Hamas. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has just briefed reporters at the State Department. Just moments ago, he confirmed those two Americans are safe, but he noted that more American hostages remain.
About an hour ago, two American citizens held by Hamas since October 7th were released. These Americans are now safely in the hands of Israeli authorities in Israel. We expect the team from the US Embassy to see them very shortly. Over the coming hours, they'll receive any support and assistance they need.
And of course, we're very anxious to be able to reunite with their loved ones. We welcome the release. We share in the relief that their families, friends and loved ones are feeling. But there are still 10 additional Americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict.
According to the Israeli prime minister's office, Israeli security forces received the two women at the border with Gaza, and they are now on their way to a military base in central Israel where their family is waiting for them. In a statement, President Biden said, quote, our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I'm overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family who has been wracked with fear. He also thanked the Qari and Israeli governments for their partnership in this work. This comes after earlier today, the IDF said it believes the majority of the 200 hostages being held in Gaza are still alive.
Following the news of the release of the two Americans, the IDF warned against viewing this release as a humanitarian gesture by Hamas. Listen, Hamas is currently trying to show himself to the world as if they had returned these hostages for humanitarian reasons. But this is a murderous terrorist organization that is still holding on to babies, children, women, elderly who were abducted into the Gaza Strip, and they're continuing to commit war crimes against all of humanity. Now, last week, I spoke with Sarai Cohen, the sister and aunt of the two American hostages, Natalie and Judith, who are now free.
She spoke incredibly emotionally about her family members being held hostage by Hamas. We will bring you some of that conversation in just a few moments. We'll also speak to NBC's own Martin Fletcher, whose wife is related to Judith. Natalie, along with an official from the Red Cross, which assisted with today's hostage release.
But first, joining Me now with more recording and perspective is Josh Letterman, a television of Israel. Josh Josh, thank you so much for joining me. So this is an extraordinary moment. Two American hostages now released by Hamas.
We just heard from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. What has the reaction been from the IDF and there in Israel to the release of these hostages? Josh? Well, clearly there is a huge sense of relief for these two Americans who also, by the way, have Israeli citizenship, have now been free.
And optimism right now, Kristen, that this could potentially signal the opportunity to bring more of those hostages home. Remember, there's still some 200 hostages, Israelis and others including, as Secretary said, There are about 10Americans who remain in Hamas custody in the Gaza Strip. But no one really knows at this point in time exactly why Hamas decided today that today was when they were going to release these two Americans, short of any concessions that we know about right now from the Israeli government. Hamas, for dating, has been saying they were willing to release civilians, that Israel were to stop the airstrikes, essentially declare a unilateral cease fire over the Gaza Strip.
That has not happened. Israel has continued to strike the Gaza Strip while building up towards this expected ground incursion. But we are hearing from Red Cross officials who say they are hopeful for more releases. They want to have immediate access to those remaining hostages who are in the Gaza Strip.
But a big political question right now is what exactly happens going forward with Israel's military plans? Does the US now urge Israel to pump the brakes a bit, see if there's an opportunity to release more hostages prior to Israel going in with that likely ground incursion into the Gaza Strip? Or does Israel feel like it needs to continue with everything that has been planning to deal with the other threat, which is the Hamas terror threat that they continue to see with more and more rockets falling here in Israel? Josh, it's such a an important point.
You're absolutely right. And we know that this comes on the heels of, of course, President Biden traveling to Israel. You have to ask and think about how the other families we've been reporting on and interviewing since this horror began are viewing this. Josh, I wonder, does it give any hope to other Israelis, to other families that they could potentially see their family members come home?
Well, it certainly makes clear that Hamas is open in some ways releasing hostages. And in fact, there could be some additional hope drawn from a statement that the Israeli military put out earlier today saying that they believe the majority of those 200 hostages are actually still alive. That was an open question until today, Kristen, but you also have to put yourself in the shoes of these families because remember, there's a couple hour period here where we knew that these two hostages had been released, but we did not know which ones they were. And so you have to think, if you're one of those families, there was a brief moment when you thought your family members, your loved ones might have been those hostages now safe, and then learned that they were, in fact, not.
And so there's a mix of emotions right now that we are hearing from the groups here in Israel. They're representing the family members of hostages still in the Gaza Strip. They are pleased by this. They are grateful, they're optimistic.
But they are not satisfied until all of those hostages come on. Christ. Absolutely not in the global community. Will not be satisfied until all of the hostages come home.
Josh, you're absolutely right about that. I want to delve a little bit more deeply into the point that you were just making, though, the question surrounding whether the Biden administration might use this moment to try to slow down the expected ground invasion by Israel. Secretary Blinken was very careful to say, we're not going to get into any of the private discussions that we've been having surrounding the release of these two hostages. But, Josh, taking a step back, just walk us through President Biden's visit there to Israel.
What were the key takeaways? Because obviously one of them, right, was the idea that and the development that they were trying to get these 20 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza. But the hostage situation was front and center as well. I'm so glad you brought that up, Kristen, because in the flurry of attention, rightly so, on this hostage release over the last few hours, it has kind of overshadowed what had really been a front burner issue, which is that humanitarian aid that President Biden said he had agreement with the Egyptians, it was going to start flowing.
Yesterday we saw the UN Secretary general in Egypt saying he was there to observe the reopening of that Rafah border crossing. And so far, none of that has gone in. The only thing that we know has crossed the Gaza border since the start of this crisis two weeks ago are those two hostages that were released today. And so even as there is this positive news about these Americans, there is still the reality that the humanitarian crisis is getting worse and worse.
There are additional two hospitals today. They had to shut operations because they're simply out of fuel for their generators. And so far, while we keep hearing day after day that today might be the day that eagles are flowing from Egypt to the Gaza Strip, it hasn't happened. And it's unclear whether the release of this hostages, whether that means that there's been some type of diplomatic progress that could also extend to getting some of that humanitarian aid into Gaza.
And as you have been reporting, Josh, I think so forcefully they're hoping for 20 trucks to get in. But what's needed is so much more. It's more like 100 trucks per day. Let me go over to Al Rafa, our colleague standing by at the White House.
And Ali, obviously this is a significant development for those two hostages, for their families, for this war that is unfolding, but for the White House as well. What's the reaction in there? Yeah, just the last hour we saw a statement issued from President Biden who confirmed the release of these hostages. He talked about the efforts to find and free them that began really right as soon as the administration found out about this attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7th.
He thanks the governments of Qatar and Israel for their partnership in getting this done. He talks about that over hour long zoom call that he had with the family members of Americans that were still unaccounted for. And he repeats what he told them on that call, that the US won't stop until their loved ones are found and freed. And then you heard in just the last 20 or so minute, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken talking about the fact that there are still 10 more UN Americans unaccounted or believed to be among the more than 200 hostages that Israel estimates are being held by Hamas in Gaza.
And he, Secretary Stancy Blinken re upped the US's demand that every hostage needs to be released and needs to be released without conditions. And he acknowledged this new demand by Hamas leadership to release all hostages, including foreign nationals, in exchange for a ceasefire. Remember, that's something that our own Richard Engel had said that Hamas leadership was demanding during the phone call he had with them earlier this week. I think the issue and the concern now Christian White House officials is that so much of what happens next does not lie in the hands of this White House of the United States.
Frankly, the fact that the President was thinking the government of Qatar, Israel, Qatar being a major key to having securing this deal to get these hostages released. That was a huge reason why we saw Blinken make that marathon trip all around the Middle east to talk to the leaders of these countries that have established lines of communication with Hamas leadership. How the US relies on these entities going forward to be able to get those 10 SB10 remaining Americans that are still unaccounted for. Potentially in Gaza.
That still remains to be seen at this point. It certainly does, but we know there will be a lot of focus on that. Josh and Ali, stay with me. I do want to bring in NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and chief Washington correspondent Andrew Mitchell, who was in the State Department of Refuges.
Now we heard her pressing the secretary of state. So, Andrea, what were your key takeaways? This is obviously a hugely significant development. And you asked about the idea that statement by Hamas, you made it very clear it's a terrorist group.
Not to be taken with any ounce of credibility. But they are saying there's a possibility that more hostages could be released if the bombardment stops. I mean, the secretary is very careful in answer to all questions. He took three questions today and very careful not to talk about the negotiations.
And that is understandable. He's been involved since the very beginning when he first got to the region last week and did his shadow diplomacy first in Israel, then and going to the Arab countries, importantly in Qatar. That is the best connection that they have to Hamas because Hamas leadership stays in Doha, Qatar and has a relationship. Qatar provides some $10 million a month to Hamas that we know of and probably a lot more money back channel.
So Qatar was thanked by the president and not just thanked alone, but thanked in partnership with Israel, which is why I asked whether there was still a chance that despite the war, despite the horrors of Hamas's attacks on Israel and the reactions and all the people who suffered on both sides, could there still be some sort of a broader peace? Could there still be some relationship that could build on this? In fact, as you know, a Senate deleg bipartisan Lindsey Graham, Cory Booker, who arrived in the region just arriving today and are working on that very thing, planning to go to Saudi Arabia, go to Israel, and we don't know what other countries they may be going to. They're trying to resurrect that.
So, Kristen, this is still a possibility. He said this is what they hope for. But importantly also, they are very careful not to publicly restrict Israel's options despite the cautionary flags the president raised privately. I was told and publicly certainly in a speech last night, that Israel should realize the importance of the reaction to going in big.
That's basically what he's saying. Don't make the same mistakes that he feels America made after 9, 11 after topping the leadership, then not handling it. And of course, the result was 20 years, two decades of tragedy. In any case, what they're hoping for is some way to get Israel to be careful about this but they're not going to tell Israel to stop the airstrikes or the ground war, which is not yet started.
And I asked about the Hamas leaders, Abu Al saying more hostages could be released. This could lead to something where if there were no airstrikes, and he said that they would not put any credibility in what a terror group like Hamas says. One quick thing. He did say also that they're still working on getting that aid in.
That's what he started with from day one on his shuttle diplomacy. They thought they had a deal. It was confirmed by the president on Tuesday and Wednesday, and they still think they have a deal. But Egypt and others have still not opened those doors.
And we know that there's going to be an ongoing focus on getting that aid and getting more hostages out. And Mitchell, thank you so much for joining us from the State Department just moments after pressing the secretary of State. We really appreciate your reporting. Joining me now is Martin Fletcher, who's not only the former NBC News telev chief, but related through his wife to those American hostages who were released.
Martin, we have been sending our prayers to all of the families of the hostages. I've been watching your reaction throughout this afternoon, calling this a miracle. Well, it's a miracle for my family and it's an ongoing tragedy for all the other hostage families. Yeah.
I mean, so I've been in contact throughout the afternoon with some of my family in Israel waiting for the two of them, Natalie and Judith, to be freed. Their mother and sister went to the border to meet them. The rest of the family is celebrating, but at the same time they're saying we're not celebrating too much because we don't know what condition they're in. They may, you know, certainly they're traumatized.
They may be physically harmed. They may be sick. We don't know anything. Right now, they're in the hands.
They are at an Israeli army base close to Gaza, hopefully by now with their loved ones together. But of course, Israeli army intelligence will be briefing, debriefing them for hours and hours trying to find out what conditions they were held in, where they were held, did they see any other hostages? What do they know about the way they were being kept? What can Israel and America learn about the remaining hostages, bearing in mind there's 200 more of them.
We're one happy family right now. There's a lot of other families still bitterly frightened. Absolutely. And Martin, to that point, I mean, no one knows this region better than you do.
What might the release of these two hostages, your two Beautiful family members. What might it mean for the other hostages? Well, the question is, why did Hamash release them? Was it part of a deal?
In this part of the world, very few things happen without a quid pro quo. So the assumption would be that secretly no one's talking about it. There must be negotiations going on about the other hostages. There was talk earlier in the week about a possible exchange of women and children held by Hamas for women and children held by Israel security prisoners, Palestinian security prisoners.
Israel holds about 30 women and about 120 to 130 what they call miners who are being arrested for security offenses. So there is a potential swap. That's the area where there could most likely be a swap. But we haven't heard about it.
We don't know any details, and everybody's very careful not to give anything away. And I can say one thing about one of my family members told me something and then called me back and said, oh, for God's sake, don't say anything on TV about that. So I'm not, because obviously this is a real fluid, sensitive situation ongoing right now. But I feel there's a window of opportunity which is probably closing as soon as Israel's ground invasion begins.
If it does, that's when the possibility of negotiations for the release of hostages probably will end. So there just is a few days. We don't know how long of time for negotiations to take place and have more people released. When the ground invasion begins.
That becomes a time of fighting and not talking. Well, your perspective is so critical. We are grateful that they have been released. We pray for their safe return and for reunion with the rest of your family, as you say.
We hope that's already underway. Martin Fletcher, I know we've got to let go. I have many more questions for you, but I really appreciate you joining us. Thank you so much.
Thanks, Kristen. Well, I spoke to Judith Rodman's sister and Natalie Ratnon's aunt, Sarai Cohen, last Friday about the desperate efforts not only to rescue them, but for information ensuring they were still alive. Here's part of that conversation. We're doing everything in our power just to be doing everything we can to have a sign of life from them.
We're devastated. We want to know that they're alive and I have to see that. I to say I watched the show until now while I was waiting to be on air, and I have a lot of sympathy to the civilians in the Gaza Strip. However, Hamas terrorists are exactly like isis and I don't know if my niece Natalie is alive or not.
I don't know if she's been raped or not. I don't know if they're alive or not. And, and I feel like our side should be told, you know, and I thank you for the opportunity. Really just want a sign of life from them.
We're in touch with all the American authorities and Israeli authorities and we're very much encouraged by their work. However, we still have no sign of life. We want people to know about your sister and your niece, Sarai. I want them to know that they're.
They only came for a vacation. They want to be back home. I really hope they know that we're doing everything to bring, to get a sign of life from them. And I, I want them to feel that all, everyone, the American authorities and Israeli and especially us, their family is just doing really everything in our power to reach out for them.
Get any sign, any sign whatsoever, dead or alive. Does the fact that there seems to be this impending ground operation give you some hope that they will be found? Yeah, it does. I really don't know.
You know, I'm not a political person and I. I do have sympathy for the civilians in the Gaza Strip, but I want to get them home. I want them alive. And is that what it takes?
I just feel that if they want, you know, other hostages from Israel, just give them, give it to them. Freedom if we can. If we can prevent suffering from each one of the sides. I'm all in it, but I have one goal and one goal only.
To get a signal of life and get Nali Jews back home. Such an emotional conversation there. Joining me now is the spokesperson for the Red Cross inside Gaza, Hisham Mohana. Hisham, thank you so much for joining me.
Do we have you? Yes. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to join in. Well, we really appreciate it.
And it's our understanding that the Red Cross has helped to transport the two hostages from Gaza to Israel. Is that accurate? Can you characterize how the Red Crossed with this release? Yes, as we are extremely relieved that these two vanities can now be reunited after to be sovereignty.
The International Committee of the Red Cross helped facilitate this release by transporting the hostages from Gala of Israel, underscoring the real life of that law between the warring parties. And we encouraged to witness in action and it's urgently needed so that we can witness also more families from both sides can be reunited. We understand that information about missing people are like a lifeline for the families of those missing. We have been here since 1967 in Nigeria, occupied territories and we have facilitated, you know, a lot of successful counter visits of Supremes and their families.
Today we have succeeded and even more both sides soon. Hisham, we're losing you a little bit, but I want to ask you, do you know the condition of the two women who were released? Do you know how they're doing physically and emotionally? Unfortunately, I do not have full information about, you know, they will be able to do hostages.
I hope that they are safe in town and they hope that they are now with the rest of their beloved ones and Israel. However, we continue, you know, to call for the immediate hostages and we have visited the remaining hostages and to facilitate any future release following an agreement reached by the party. We understand that hostages must have. We also call that hostages on both sides must have strategic systems and physical care and they must be given the opportunity to contact their families.
As we believe that this is a lifeline for the families, you know, and information that we try to get. We pass this immunity to the families of those missing officers. Hisham, you lead me to my next question. Does this give you hope that some of the other hostages, potentially all of the other hostages, could be released?
And what do you think needs to happen in order for that to come to pass? We urged all parties of the conflict to work towards first, ensure the safety and security for the medical teams in Gaza, support complete the humanitarian mission as well as for the humanitarian mission, one of the ITRC residents in Gaza City was. Fortunately no one of our staff was there, but we are having severe challenges moving into Gaza, getting to the aid and delivering those who are in need and also having Italian poses is vital and necessary and crucial like never before so that we can achieve progress on the ground, on the different issues with the officers, with the entry of aid into the Gaza structure or supporting the medical system of collapse. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has never been that intimidated.
As I mentioned since 1957, mentioned that level of facilities, losses in life, destruction and the infrastructure, lack of hope since then. And obviously there's so much focus. He just said getting that humanitarian aid into Gaza. I know that one of the key concerns is that it could wind up in the hands of Hamas.
Do you have any sense of a timeline? Do you anticipate that it will get into Gaza in the next 24, 48 hours? We hope so. We are ready, standing ready to allow the humanitarian aida.
We have IPO speaking from the specialty. We have doctors, we have engineers, we have experts and more remnants who are ready to enter Gaza along with, you know, count of human carrying Aid equipment that are vital, that are life saving. Four thousand, you know, people in Gaza cannot be kept waiting for. Districts in need of hospitals are literally on the verge of collapse and families are sleeping in the open with little crew and border without its uninterest.
Thus we urge people for foes fighting and quarantining aid and search responders to be allowed. And every hour, every hour that passes without increased assistance means more misery, more suffering and more death. Yeah, Hishamu Hana, I can't thank you enough for joining us and for the work that you and Red Cross us are doing. It's really extraordinary and obviously you're saving lives and we are just so deeply grateful to you for joining us.
Thank you very much. I'm joined now by Duran Spielman, spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force. Thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate it.
Obviously this is a hugely significant development. What can you tell us about the efforts to secure the release of those American hostages? What role did Israel play? So as you mentioned, it is a ray of light and what has been two weeks of the greatest darkness I think perhaps in the history of the state of Israel.
Judith and Natalie again. The 17 year old girl graduates high school and she and her mom go on trip to Israel to a peaceful community. They were woken up at 6:30 in the morning, abducted by Hamas terrorists at gunpoint and dragged back to Gaza. And after two weeks of living in this, you know, the most hellish conditions we can only imagine, they're now rahom.
And this is definitely, you know, a sign for all of us. We welcome this heartwarming. Every one of these hostages is like family for us. We have to remember though that there are still 201 other hostages, men, women and children, nine mobile babies and old people who are being held there as we speak.
Not to mention 100, 200 more that are missing. You know, the 1300 dead will never be returned. And for us it's very clear we celebrate every piece of life in return of the hostages. But Hamas is really trying to play this off as if they are a humanitarian rights organization when we know that they truly are the face of evil.
And we have to be able to focus on that. And that's where we are. We're focused on making sure they can never carry out Chamaskar again. The Biden administration very clear in calling them of course a terrorist group.
They have released a statement saying that it's possible where hostages could be released. The Secretary of State responded effectively saying that they don't take anything that comes from Hamas. Seriously. But my question for you is, do you have any anticipation that more hostages could be released?
And are there discussions right now about the possibility of that? So we do have an entire section now of the army that is dedicated to those hostages to try to ascertain the locations, their conditions, and work through those channels to do everything we can to bring them home. Israel has a policy, bringing everyone home. And we know that.
We've done this before. At the same time, we're aware that Hamas cannot exist. If Israel exists. Hamas is the president of the United States.
Yesterday, their very existence calls for destruction of the state of Israel and the death of the Jewish people throughout the world. And we are going to operate in both those traps. We are very focused in dismantling Hamas infrastructure and completely neutralizing all of this leadership. Otherwise, we'll see the playbook simply repeat itself.
Person. They'll go back, they'll go underground, they'll rebuild, and then the next massacre will be around the corner, and we simply will never allow that to happen again. Israel was very clear, has been very clear, that you are preparing for a ground invasion in Gaza. Does the release of these two hostages change anything in your strategy?
Are you still preparing for a ground invasion? We are. And our strategy has not changed at all. It's very focused on destroying Hamas.
Our ground forces, our air forces, our naval forces, everyone has been training. I was down south just a short time ago, seeing everyone gearing up. The motivation level is incredibly high. The professionalism's high, and it's just a matter of time until we move into the next phase, which will be needed in order for us to really eliminate Hamas.
And from a directional point of view, we are continuing with that mission until it is actually completed. Taran, I know you probably can't give us too many details, but can you say anything about how the release of these two hostages was secured? How big of a role did Qatar play? Did the United States play?
So, as you mentioned, I can't be overly specific. I will say that again. The entire state of Israel right now is celebrating the release. And anybody who wants to try to help us get our hostages back has always been very, very open and welcoming.
We are incredibly concerned about our hostages, and we're still moving forward. We're dealing with human life, basically. We are. In all of our hits on Gaza, we're aware that our hostages are in Gaza.
There are still civilians in northern Gaza, Gazaan civilians, which are also suffering under Hamas. And we have. I was in the command center. That's speaking to the people in Gaza in Arabic and trying to speak to heads of different areas to get them to move.
And we've been told that they're afraid to do because of Hamas. So we're focusing on human life as best as we can while trying to eliminate Hamas while Hamas is simply hiding underneath the ground and pushing as many civilians in every way as possible. It's very difficult to operate in these conditions, but that's what we're training for. Well, I can't thank you enough for joining us.
And we do extend our condolences for the loss of life in Israel. We do continue to keep our thoughts and prayers with all of those hostages. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
Thank you so much. I'm very, very happy to be here. Thank you. And joining me now is Millie's coordinator for the national security council, Brett McGurk.
Thank you so much for joining me on this critical afternoon. If you could just give us the very latest about how the hostages were released. How was this secured? Was it an agreement between the United States, Israel and Qatar?
How did this happen? Well, Kristen's great to be here, I have to say. The president just spoke with the father of Natalie and ex husband of Judith in a very emotional call. And of course, he also spoke with the father on a zoom call about a week ago.
Just incredibly emotional call. Just given the trauma that these families and these hostages are going through at the hands of Hamas. I just want to say couple things before into what transpired here. We still ten Americans unaccounted for.
We're doing everything we possibly can to find them, to locate them and get them out of the hands of Hamas. Look, this deal, since really 2:30am Eastern time on October 7th, we have been working not only to help support the Israelis, but also to work in the region to make sure we deter further aggression, but also to account for missing Americans. So an awful lot work has got in here. I'm not just like your previous guest.
I'm not going into details of everything that has transpired. We're hopeful that this is a start and that we will see more hostages released over the coming period. But of course, I cannot guarantee that. But we're doing everything we possibly can.
And you said President Biden just spoke with the family members. Can you tell us if they have in fact been reunited, if those hostages have in fact been reunited with their family members? In other words, the president speaking to the them while they were talking, while they were with their loved ones who just been released? Chris I just spoke with our Char, Stephanie Hallett, who was in Israel and was with us when we were in Israel just a couple days ago with the president.
So at the time of this call, the family had not been reunited. Stephanie is now near the border area. She has seen Judith and Natalie, and they are being reunited with their family, really, as we speak. So this is an ongoing, ongoing story.
And look, we're thrilled with this news, but we're very focused on getting all the other Americans who are accounted for not only to identify where they are, but also to get them out of harm's way. And I understand that they're being reunited as we speak, which is just extraordinary. Do you know anything about their physical, their emotional condition? I cannot.
I cannot speak to that firsthand. What I can say is that whenever hostages, American citizens come out of these traumatic, horrific experiences, they will get all the care they need, and we will make sure that our government provides everything they possibly need for medical care, to psychological care. And that is really an ongoing process. We had a team at the border with the Israelis upon the transfer from Gaza and Israel, and they are with our team now, and they're in very good hands.
And I want to, to the extent that we can be very clear about those 10Americans who are still unaccounted for. The Secretary of State said some of those are among the 200 who are still being held hostage. Do you have an exact number and exact accounting for where those 10Americans are, Chris? I cannot give you an exact exact number, an exact accounting.
I just can't do that. All I can say is we have 10Americans accounted for, and we're devoting a great deal of resources and attention and focus from all levels of the American government, working closely with the Israelis, other partners in the region, to try to identify them, locate them, and get them out of harm's way. And I just spoke with, of course, that spokesperson for the idf. I asked him if anything about their strategy would change in the wake of these two hostages being released.
He said it would not he signal they are still planning to move forward with their ground invasion. Can you speak to that? Should Israel move forward with its planned strategy, or is this a moment to continue to try to get in a window? I should say to continue to try to get the remaining hostages out.
Well, I just repeat what the President said when he was in Israel, what he said publicly in this morning, the President had another very long and detailed discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu. And before major war peace decisions are made, the president speak from his own experience. It requires deliberation. It requires asking hard questions, and it requires making sure you have a plan in place with achievable objectives and that plan is actually leading to achieving those objectives.
Those are the types of questions I know the Israelis are asking themselves. And we're providing whatever advice we can through that discussions again, from the prime minister to the president on down to our military teams separately. Austin Gansba today with the Israeli administer defense. So I'm not going to speak to their strategy and their plans or what today's news might mean.
I will say today's news is very good. We're hopeful to have more hostages home over the coming period, as I mentioned. And we're also hopeful because of the deal that the president was able to broker on the ground in Israel and then on the flight home Air Force One of President Sisi to begin getting humanitarian assistance into southern Gaza very soon. That's also something that we're very, very focused on.
You take me to my next question. I was wondering if you could update us on the status of that humanitarian aid getting into Gaza. Everyone anticipated that it would get in today. Can you explain why it has it is it over concerns that it may end up in the hands of Hamas?
And what is the timeline for getting that data to Gaza? We're hopeful at this point that it will happen fairly soon. I think we've ever put a timeline on it. David Satterfield is on the ground in Egypt today, Ambassador Satterfield, who is our coordinator for the humanitarian response.
And the mechanisms are getting in place. So we want to try to make sure this is done right. It is a very, very complicated endeavor, not only on the Egyptian side of the border, but also, of course, on the Gazan side of the border. So we want to make sure that when this is done, the mechanisms are in place so that the aid, most importantly, as the president said, goes to the people who need it and it's not diverted from Hamas for their worrying.
So we're getting this all in place now. David is on the ground and I'm very hopeful here of the coming period. I want to be very careful not to put a time frame on it that we begin to see that aid are reaching Gazans in need. I know everyone is hoping that happens soon.
Before I let you go, can you tell us what was President Biden's message to the family of the hostages that we spoke with him? Well, you know, the president spoke with his family on the Zoom call last week when he when he indicated the families were doing all that we possibly can without really going to any of the details, details, what he said to the families, obviously, the joy in this moment, as you can hear on the other end of the line, but also the importance that we're very focused on the other families. You know, these families in this situation make connections with one another. They're all talking.
We have been in touch as a government since this news broke, not only with the family, not only in Judith, but also with the other missing Americans and also just made very clear that we're doing all we can to secure their safety, too. So it was a, it was a really a call of extraordinary relief, but also with determination to do all we can to have more days like this. And just to be clear, you were in the room for this call? Yes, Chris, this call just happened in the Oval office here about 15 minutes ago.
Well, we really appreciate you bringing us all of this information and that news. Brett McGurk, thank you so much. And we'll stay in close contact with you as we continue to follow this crisis in the Middle East. We really appreciate it.
Up next, the UN Secretary general is calling access to humanitarian aid, quote, life or death situation for civilians in Gaza. We're live in Egypt with the latest on when that critical crossing may open. As we were just discussing next. You're watching me, the press now.
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Here's the scoop from NBC News. Listen daily on Spotify, Modify. Welcome back. A truck are still gathered on the Egyptian side of the Rafa crossing today as the passage into Gaza remains closed to all movement, including any humanitarian aid.
President Biden had indicated the crossing would open this week after he was able to strike a deal with Egypt and Israel, but so far that has not happened. He told reporters today he expects Israel and Egypt to honor their commitment and for aid to start flowing the next 24 to 48 hours. NBC Megan Fitzgerald in Cairo, Egypt, with more on what's holding up the eight efforts. Megan, thank you so much for joining me.
So what is holding up the eight efforts and what's the very latest there? You know, because it's a great question, you know, I mean, we have been waiting now for the the Rafa border crossing is open for the last three days. And as you mentioned earlier today, the president said that it's happening in the next 24 to 48 hours. So that puts the timeline at this weekend for aid to start crossing over the border.
He did mention that there was some construction going on. Of course, he's mentioning the fact that the Israelis have bombed the Rafah border crossing three times over the last several days. So they are getting that repaired so that those shops can make their way across the border. Earlier today, we also heard from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who spoke very passionately about the urgency, how there's nearly 200 trucks packed with needed supplies, food, water, medical supplies that the people in Gaza desperately need, more than 2 million people who are quickly running out of food, water and, of course, the electricity at high hospitals.
So he talked about that, but then he also talked about how there are some other things that are being lined out as well, other things that are being just worked through, like how much aid will go over the border and how frequently these are things that are being discussed. But again, there is some urgency here. We know that people in Gaza need this desperately when the border does open, like the president said it could be this weekend. We also suspect we will be seeing foreign nationals, including American citizens, walking across that border into Egypt safely.
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