Biden says hostage releases 'only a start,' promises to fight for those still unaccounted

President Joe Biden on Friday said the release of hostages during a temporary cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war is "only a start," promising to fight for those still unaccounted for.

Hamas released 24 hostages including , 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino citizen which is slated to last four days. Israel, meanwhile, released 39 Palestinian prisoners.

Biden said the releases are "only a start" as he tries to negotiate to free more hostages.

All of the hostages have been through a terrible ordeal and this is the beginning of a long journey of healing for them," he said while delivering remarks in Nantucket, Massachusetts. "The teddy bears waiting to greet those children at the hospital are a stark reminder of the trauma these children have been through at such a very young age.

The 13 Israeli hostages include children as young as two years old and women as old as 85.

The president said he is working for the release of those who are still being held, including two American women and a 4-year-old child.

We also will not stop until we get these hostages brought home and an answer to their whereabouts," he said.

Israel says the cease-fire could be extended if more hostages are released, but it has vowed to resume its massive offensive once the truce ends.

Biden touched on aid being funneled into Gaza, saying that over 200 trucks arrived at the crossing point in Egypt and Gaza on Friday carrying food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas. He said the fuel will be used for powering trucks, desalinization, water wells, hospitals and bakeries.

Hundreds more trucks are getting in position as well, ready to enter Gaza over the coming days to support the innocent Palestinians who are suffering greatly because of this war that Hamas has unleashed," he said, adding that "Hamas doesn't give a damn about them.

Biden said he expects more hostages to be released throughout the weekend and into next week.

The president also spoke about why he believes Hamas terrorists originally struck on Oct 7.

I don’t trust Hamas to do anything right. I only trust Hamas to respond to pressure I cannot prove what I’m about to say, but I believe one of the reasons why Hamas struck when they did was they know I was working very closely with the Saudis and others in the region to bring peace to the region by having recognition of Israel and Israel’s right to exist," he said.

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed in the war so far, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which it attributed to the health system's collapse in northern Gaza making it impossible to provide a detailed count.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will press ahead with the war after the cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.