President Joe Biden raised the issue of American hostages held in Gaza during an Oval Office meeting with President-elect Donald Trump earlier today, according to U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. In a press briefing, Sullivan said that the Biden administration has sent a clear “signal” to the Trump transition team, expressing its willingness to collaborate on efforts to secure the release of the hostages. Sullivan noted that families of the American hostages, with whom he met yesterday, strongly advocated for such bipartisan cooperation. “My answer to them was an emphatic yes,” Sullivan said, stressing that the Biden administration is committed to using every day left in its term to bring the hostages home. When asked if Israel has remained responsive to U.S. requests after Trump’s election victory, Sullivan confirmed that productive discussions are ongoing. He highlighted a recent conversation with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, where they discussed boosting humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. They also reviewed potential measures to establish ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. Sullivan revealed that the U.S. has received additional commitments from Israel in recent days to increase aid flow into Gaza. He added that the administration will closely monitor the implementation of these commitments. Pressed on the most critical national security concern facing the U.S., Sullivan cited the threat from Iran and its proxies, ranking it alongside the U.S.’s strategic competition with China. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)