Biden urges Egypt, Qatar leaders to press Hamas to come to agreement for Israeli hostages in Gaza
By AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has written to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, calling on them to press Hamas for a hostage deal with Israel. The letters come one day after Biden called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to redouble efforts to reach a cease-fire in the six-month-old war in Gaza. A senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private letters, says Biden’s national security adviser will meet Monday with family members of some of the estimated 100 hostages who are believed to still be in Gaza. Biden has deployed CIA Director Bill Burns to Cairo for talks this weekend about the hostage crisis.