President Joe Biden has come under fire on social media after no Americans were included in the 24 hostages released by Hamas on Friday during a temporary ceasefire.
Hamas fighters seized around 240 hostages and killed 1,200 people in a surprise attack on southern Israel, which began in the early morning of October 7. Israel responded with an air and ground offensive that has killed more than 12,700 Palestinians, the Associated Press reported, citing the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
On Friday, Hamas freed 13 Israelis as part of a deal that should see 50 hostages released during a four day ceasefire, in return for 150 Palestinian women and children being held in Israeli jails and more humanitarian aid. The first 39 Palestinians were freed in return whilst Hamas also released 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino who had been working in Israel.
However, none of those released on Friday were American, sparking some conservative anger against Biden who has enthusiastically supported the agreement that he said would “bring home additional American hostages.”
Newsweek has reached out to the White House press office for comment by email.
Reacting to the lack of freed Americans on X, formerly Twitter, conservative commentator Carmine Sabia wrote: “President Joe Biden is said to have brokered the deal for the hostages with Israel and Hamas and somehow no Americans were included. This man is senile.”
Graham Allen, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, with 390,000 X f….
