Hamas is preventing the exit of some 600 US citizens, creating another front in the international hostage crisis created after the terror groups murderous incursion of October 7. Despite permission of Egypt and israel to leaves the Gaza Strip to Egypt at the Rafah crossing, Hamas officials refuse to allow their passage. Many are Arab-Americans, some involved with international aid organizations.

CNN’s correspondent Jake Tapper pressed US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on the issue, and the US official admitted that Hamas is making demands as conditions for allowing American and foreign nationals to cross the border from Gaza to Egypt.

“Just as there is ongoing discussions and negotiations over the hostages,” Sullivan said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “We are facing a similar situation with the American citizens and other foreign nationals who are trapped in Gaza.”

“It is true the Egyptians are prepared to allow American citizens and foreign nationals to come through the Rafah gate into Egypt. The Israelis have no issue with that. Hamas has been preventing their departure and making a series of demands. I can’t go through those demands in public, but that is the subject of the discussions in the negotiations that are ongoing,” he added.