Jul 09, 2024

American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza visits the White House

Posted Jul 09, 2024 10:30 AM
Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum
Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden met Monday at the White House with Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days by Hamas militants.

Atzili was among those taken captive on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Aviv, was killed in the attack.

The White House said in a statement that Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, joined Biden’s meeting with Atzili and her family.

The meeting comes as hostage negotiations are expected to resume this week amid signs of narrowing differences between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed proposal to release all remaining hostages over the course through a three-phase deal.

Biden has dispatched CIA Director William Burns and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk to the region for the talks.