Families of Israeli hostages still in Gaza call on Trump, Biden to work together

ROME (Reuters) – Families of Israeli hostages taken captive to Gaza by Islamist group Hamas urged U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday to work on a deal to free those still being held before winter.

A delegation of former hostages and hostages’ relatives were visiting Rome for meetings including with the local Jewish community and Pope Francis.

During a press conference, they told reporters a deal was swiftly needed to bring back all the hostages still being held after the Oct. 7 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war, and said Biden and Trump should work together.

“We hope Biden and Trump work together now to get the hostages back, before the winter … it has been so tough for them, they cannot be expected to wait another winter,” said Sharon Lifshitz.

Lifshitz’s mother, Yocheved, was freed in October last year while her father, Oded, is still captive.

“This is not about the left and right, all people should come together,” she said.

Norberto Louis Har, who was freed in February by the Israeli armed forces, told reporters he did not care about the political camps but only that those still held were released.

The Vatican said that some of the participants in the meeting with Pope Francis showed him posters with photos of their relatives, which also included their names and ages.

“The pope has been very kind to us … he has promised to continue pray for our people, to continue to pray for each and everyone of the hostages,” Lifshitz said.

So far, 117 hostages have returned home alive, including four released at the start of the war. Thirty-seven have been dead. That leaves 101 hostages still in Gaza by Israeli tallies, at least half of whom Israeli authorities believe are still alive.

(Reporting by Oriana Boselli; writing by Angelo Amante; Editing by Alex Richardson)