American president Joe Biden appeared to have mistakenly claimed on Monday that he had "spoken to" an American hostage who was found dead in a Hamas tunnel, adding to a series of recent gaffes during the final months of his presidency. The incident happened when the President was questioned about his message for the families of the six hostages who the Israel Defense Forces had found dead in a tunnel over the weekend.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who had been kidnapped from a music event, has been held captive since October 7th. During his response, Biden, 81, stated, "I’ve spoken to the American hostage," in what appeared to be a reference to Goldberg-Polin. He added, "I spoke to his mom and dad, and we’re not giving up. We’re going to continue to push as hard as we can."
The President did not specify whose captive he was referring to, according to the White House. However, once Goldberg-Polin was identified as one of the dead captives, it was verified that Biden had talked with his family on Sunday.
In a statement issued after his conversation with the family, Biden expressed his grief and outrage, stating, "Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes." He also praised the resilience and courage of Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Jon and Rachel, describing them as "courageous, wise, and steadfast" despite the unimaginable pain they had endured. The President added that the Goldberg-Polin family had been "relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all the hostages held in unconscionable conditions." Biden concluded his statement by expressing deep sympathy and urging all Americans to keep the family in their prayers.
The remains of the hostages, including Goldberg-Polin's, have been discovered, sparking more rallies in Israel where people are calling on their government to give a hostage deal to Hamas first priority. More than 250 Israeli hostages have been transported into Gaza by Hamas since the group's murderous attacks and kidnappings on October 7. Although 105 hostages were freed in November after a prisoner swap, some 101 hostages are still being held captive in the Gaza Strip.
In a separate event, Biden told reporters that he thought Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, was not going far enough in negotiating a hostage agreement with Hamas. He said he hoped a settlement would soon be reached.
After spending two weeks vacationing in Delaware and California, the President returned to the White House on Monday and met with his national security staff to discuss the ongoing hostage crisis in Israel. Vice President Kamala Harris and Joe Biden were supposed to attend a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, later that day.
This most recent error coincides with heightened scrutiny of Biden's remarks in public, underscoring the difficulties he confronts in the latter stages of his administration.