In Tel Aviv, Yarden Gonen, the sister of Romi Gonen, a 23-year-old woman held captive by Hamas since the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, expressed her belief in President Joe Biden’s ability to aid in the release of her sister and other hostages.
“I believe in him. I believe in his power,” Yarden Gonen told NBC News ahead of Biden’s meeting with the families of Americans still held by Hamas at the White House.
Yarden spoke in an interview conducted in “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, a gathering place for families of those taken captive. She conveyed her confidence in Biden, stating, “I have to believe in him because I know that his heart is placed in the right way, the right place.”
While Yarden shared that her family received information from released hostages affirming her sister’s survival and resilience, she expressed concerns about Romi’s health. According to Yarden, her sister sustained a gunshot injury for which she had not yet received proper medical care.
“Some of them talked to us and told us that they saw her and that she’s alive,” Yarden stated. “We were so happy for the news because until then we were in a void.” Without specifying when her sister was last seen, she expressed hope for a reunion soon, saying, “We believe in her.”
