Kamala Harris says ‘top priority’ for hostage release: ‘American citizens are being held’; The vice president is making an impromptu small business stop in Venice on Saturday

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gen. Continuing their Thanksgiving week visit to Los Angeles, Doug Emhoff made an unscheduled pit stop at the Venice Bakery for Small Business on Saturday, where the former spoke about the current hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel.

Earlier today, news reports said there was a delay in the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza after Hamas refused aid and prisoners. The US, Qatar and Egypt have been involved in talks to resolve the delay. CNN reported that a group of hostages left Gaza in a Red Cross convoy. Yesterday, 24 Gaza hostages and 39 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons as part of the four-day ceasefire.

“We are extremely grateful that hostages were released yesterday,” the vice president said outside Venice Bakery, “and we look forward to another group being released today.”

“There have been some problems and challenges with implementation,” she said in a speech this morning about the complications. “President Biden has spoken with the Emir (of Qatar) to resolve these issues and we firmly believe that they will be resolved.”

Speaking about the four-day ceasefire, Harris said: “This moment of pause is extremely important to provide humanitarian assistance.” It is also important to ensure that hostages can escape. So we will continue to be diligent and vigilant in this regard and do everything we can to ensure that humanitarian aid arrives and hostages get out. Our top priority, of course, is to take away American citizens. held.”

Watch the video from Deadline on X below:

The VP and Second Gentleman’s appearance on Saturday afternoon was quieter compared to the protests they received earlier this week at a re-election fundraiser attended by 20 pro-Palestinian protesters, some of whom reportedly shed fake blood outside the entertainment district. Attorney Cliff Gilbert-Lurie and Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, where the event took place.

Both Harris and Emhoff spoke about the Israel-Gaza war protests and the POTUS and Veep’s re-election chances at this Hollywood fundraiser. Responding to an interruption by someone at the event who called for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, Harris said: “We live in a democracy.” It is a very difficult time and it is important that we all agree “that people should have the freedom to make their voices heard.”

She referred to the fight against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. “We have already experienced hatred in various forms in recent years.”