Biden urges Egypt, Qatar leaders to press Hamas to come to agreement for Israeli hostages in Gaza

By Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press on April 5, 2024.

President Joe Biden speaks with the media before boarding Marine One for departure from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Washington. Biden is headed to Maryland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden on Friday wrote to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, calling on them to press Hamas for hostage deal with Israel, according to a senior administration official, 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.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private letters, said 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.

The letters come as Biden has deployed CIA Director Bill Burns to Cairo for talks this weekend about the hostage crisis.