Statement by the Vice President on the Hostage Release in Gaza

Today, thanks to the leadership of President Biden and other leaders, an agreement has been reached that will lead to the release of dozens of hostages who were taken in brutal acts of terrorism by Hamas on October 7. Doug and I pray for the well-being of all the hostages and are grateful some will soon be reunited with their loved ones.

I welcome the commitment that Israel has made to support an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure additional humanitarian assistance reaches civilians in Gaza. The flow of aid must substantially increase and civilians must be protected. We also call on Hamas to release all the remaining hostages.

President Biden and I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans, and we welcome that today's agreement means some Americans should be coming home. As I have told families of Americans held hostage: as they advocate for the release of their loved ones, they are not alone. We will not waver in our commitment to these Americans.