White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby stated there’s no evidence that Hamas is holding Americans hostage to use them as leverage.
“There’s no indication that Hamas is trying to play some sort of game here in terms of the Americans,” Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.
He added that the first hostage-release tested involved two Americans, including a teenager from the Chicago area, and the release of 4-year-old American-Israeli hostage Abigail Idan over the weekend.
In the latest exchange on Tuesday, 12 hostages — 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals from Thailand — were released, as reported by the Israeli government.
Kirby reiterated that the number of American hostages is small, and includes women and children with an even smaller number at present.
He also noted that there are challenges in locating the hostages, who may be held by various groups.
The U.S. believes there are eight or nine Americans still being held in Gaza, Kirby stated on Monday.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Cheyenne Haslett
Releasing more hostages will be a “primary” focus of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s latest Middle East trip, according to the White House.
“We’re up around 70 or so hostages released so far, which is good. It’s a good start, but it’s just a start. There are many more,” White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday. “We want to get them all back.”
Blinken will also meet with his Israeli counterparts to reassure them of U.S. support and discuss the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, Kirby said.
This week’s trip will mark Blinken’s fourth visit to the region since the Oct. 7 attack.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
The United States delivered more than 54,000 pounds of medical and food aid for Gaza in a flight to Egypt earlier Tuesday, according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Two more planes are set to make deliveries in the coming days, he said.
“The humanitarian needs in Gaza demand that the international community do much more,” Sullivan continued, adding that the U.S. is committed to keeping that aid up.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Twelve hostages are back in Israeli territory in the latest exchange, according to the Israeli government.
The hostages include 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals, both from Thailand, officials said.
The Israeli citizens were identified as Tamar Metzger, 78; Ditza Hayman, 84; Norlin Babdila, 60; Ada Sagi, 75; Ophelia Edith Roitman, 77; Rimon Kirsht, 36; Merav Tal, 53; and the Leimberg family — Gabriella Leimberg, 59, Mia Leimberg, 17, and Clara Marman, 63.
The IDF said the hostages were taken through Egypt before heading to a meeting point in Kerem Shalom, in Israel.
Five of the women — Metzger, Hayman, Ada Sagi, Roitman and Tal — were residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hit hardest by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
“They were held captive, in harsh conditions and deprived of essential medical care. Two of the women released have been separated from their husbands, who remain in captivity,” the kibbutz said in a statement. “The Nir Oz community is committed to support them, and their families, through the long recovery process ahead.”
Thirty Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for the hostages, according to Qatari officials.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
