美国总统乔·拜登周三表示，他为争取自由做了“很多”哈马斯扣押的人质，包括美国人，他还没有放弃希望，但他没有透露任何细节。
“我们正在努力解决以色列人质危机的每一个方面，包括部署专家为恢复工作提供建议和协助，”他在一次犹太社区领导人的聚会上说。“现在，媒体会对我大喊大叫，你们中的许多人都知道...你在做什么把这些-把这些人带回家?如果我告诉你，我就不能带他们回家了。伙计们，我们做了很多，我们做了很多。
“我没有放弃把这些人带回家的希望，”他继续说道。“但我要站在你面前告诉你我在做什么的想法是很奇怪的。所以，我希望你能理解我认为试图回答这个问题会有多奇怪。”
早些时候，白宫表示，美国对解救被哈马斯扣押为人质的美国人“保留广泛的选择”，但与此同时，一名发言人承认，他们的状况或下落没有更新。
至少有22名美国人死于以色列自从战斗开始以来周六哈马斯发动了史无前例的突袭。新闻秘书郭佳欣·让-皮埃尔说，17名美国人仍然下落不明或失踪。
据白宫发言人约翰·柯比称，“一些美国人”被哈马斯扣为人质。他说，公众应该做好准备，被恐怖组织扣押的美国公民人数可能会增加。
美国广播公司首席白宫记者玛丽·布鲁斯问科比，关于人质的情况，他是否有什么可以分享的，以及政府是否正在直接或间接与哈马斯接触，以确保他们获释。
“现在，他们在哪里，在什么条件下，没有，”柯比回答说，并补充说，政府不知道他们是否在一个群体中，或以什么频率他们可能被转移。“很遗憾，我们不知道。这使得努力变得非常非常困难。”
他还告诉美国广播公司驻白宫记者MaryAlice Parks，他“不知道任何个人质还活着的具体证据。”
2023年10月11日，华盛顿，国家安全委员会战略沟通协调员约翰·柯比在白宫布雷迪新闻简报室的每日简报中发言。
Brendan Smialowski/法新社
柯比说，美国正在与卡塔尔等一些国家讨论释放人质的问题，这些国家与哈马斯有沟通渠道。
当被问及美国是否与哈马斯进行了任何接触时，柯比推迟了他之前的回答，他告诉记者，像其他美国人被扣为人质或被错误拘留的情况一样，“你在那里公开说得越少越好。”
当被问及拜登总统是否排除了在必要时派遣任何美国部队进入加沙帮助确保他们获释的可能性时，柯比说，他们只是“没有足够的信息来做出这样的决定”
“很明显，我们正在广泛撒网，”柯比谈到与该地区盟友和伙伴讨论人质问题时说。“随着我们获得的信息越来越多，我们现在也在保持选项的开放性，但我们没有足够的粒度来微调这些选项。”
据两名熟悉此事的美国官员称，中东的盟友和伙伴在与哈马斯沟通时，似乎在倡导释放人质方面有所帮助。
但是，尽管最近哈马斯领导人表现出明显的友好姿态，官员们说，到目前为止，哈马斯还没有表现出参与外交的真正意愿。尽管以色列长期以来优先考虑被扣为人质的公民的生命，但官员们表示，他们现在也没有兴趣达成协议。
Biden says he's doing 'a lot' to free American hostages, hasn't given up hope
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he was doing "a lot" to freehostages held by Hamas, including Americans, and that he hasn't given up hope, but he revealed no details.
"We're working on every aspect of the hostage crisis in Israel, including deploying experts to advise and assist with recovery efforts," he told a gathering of Jewish community leaders. "Now, the press are going to shout to me, and many of you are, that you know ... what are you doing to bring these -- get these folks home? If I told you, I wouldn't be able to get them home. Folks, there’s a lot we're doing, a lot we’re doing.
"I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home," he continued. "But the idea that I'm going to stand here before you and tell you what I'm doing is bizarre. So, I hope you understand how bizarre I think it would be to try to answer that question."
Earlier, the White House said the U.S. is "keeping options wide" for the recovery of Americans being held hostage by Hamas, but at the same time, a spokesman acknowledged it had no update on their condition or whereabouts.
At least 22 Americans have died inIsraelsince the fighting beganon Saturday when Hamas launched unprecedented surprise attacks. Seventeen Americans remain unaccounted for or missing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
According to White House spokesman John Kirby, a "number of those Americans" are being held hostage by Hamas. He said the public should prepare for the possibility that the number of U.S. citizens being held by the terrorist group will grow.
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ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce asked Kirby if there were anything he could share about the hostages' condition, and whether the administration is in contact directly or indirectly with Hamas about securing their release.
"Now, where they are and in what condition, no," Kirby responded, adding the administration isn't aware if they are in one group or at what frequency they may be being moved. "Sadly we don't know. And that makes efforts very, very difficult."
He also told ABC White House Correspondent MaryAlice Parks he is "not aware of any specific proof of life on any individual hostage."
Kirby said the U.S. is in discussion with some countries, such as Qatar, that have lines of communication with Hamas on freeing the hostages.
Pressed on whether the U.S. has made any contact with Hamas, Kirby deferred to his previous answer -- telling reporters that like in other instances where Americans are being held hostage or wrongfully detained, "the less you say out there publicly the better."
Asked if President Biden has ruled out sending any American forces into Gaza to help secure their release, if necessary, Kirby said they just "don't have enough information to be able to make decisions like that."
"Obviously we're casting a wide net," Kirby said about about discussions about hostages with allies and partners in the region. "We're also keeping the options wide open right now as we get more information but we just don't have enough granularity to be able to fine-tune those options."
According to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter, it does appear that allies and partners in the Middle East in communication with Hamas are being helpful in advocating for the release of the hostages.
But despite recent apparent overtures to the Hamas leadership, the officials say Hamas has shown no real willingness to partake in diplomacy up to this point. And despite Israel’s long history of prioritizing the lives of its citizens that are taken hostage, the officials said there's no appetite on their side to cut a deal right now either.
