Biden says “there is a real chance” that the pause could open the door for a longer ceasefire.

President Biden on Friday called the release of 24 hostages by Hamas “just a start, but so far it has gone well.”

Speaking after Hamas released hostages in Gaza and Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners and detainees – the first exchange under their four-day ceasefire – Mr Biden predicted that more hostages would be released.

No Americans were among the first group of hostages released, but Mr. Biden said his “hope and expectation” was that they would be released soon.

Mr. Biden said from Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he spent Thanksgiving with his family, that “there is a real possibility” that the pause could open the door to a longer ceasefire. He remains in contact with the leaders of Qatar, Egypt and Israel “to ensure this stays on track and that every aspect of the deal is implemented.” Israel had already agreed to extend the ceasefire if Hamas released at least ten additional hostages per day.

Asked whether he trusts Hamas to hold up its end of the deal, Mr. Biden said: “I don’t trust Hamas to do anything right. I only trust that Hamas will respond to pressure.”

Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA operations officer who has spent extensive time in the Middle East, said he believed Biden would face enormous pressure from Democrats, Arab leaders and others in the international community to push for a permanent ceasefire.

“I think he will give Israel some space, but the pressure on him is increasing,” Mr. Polymeropoulos said. The looming question after the four-day break, he said, is: “What happens on Day 5?”

The Israeli military is on a mission to destroy Hamas, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said is not over yet. By some estimates, just over 2,000 Hamas fighters were killed out of 40,000.

“So the fight is far from over if the goal remains the elimination of Hamas,” said Mick Mulroy, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East.

Among the people released Friday were 13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thai nationals and one Filipino, according to Qatari officials. They were among more than 200 hostages that Hamas has held captive since its forces entered Israel on October 7 to massacre and kidnap civilians. The ceasefire, negotiated for weeks by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, included the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Mr. Biden said U.S. officials did not know the names or circumstances of Americans or other hostages about to be released.

On Friday evening, Mr Biden attended a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Nantucket. A handful of protesters holding “Free Palestine” repeatedly shouted, “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide.” We accuse you of genocide,” until a man went to a microphone and asked them to stop and reminded them, “This is a community tree lighting.”

More than 140 trucks carrying fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid entered Gaza from Egypt on Friday, according to the UN humanitarian agency. “Hundreds of trucks are also getting into position, ready to enter Gaza in the coming days to support the Palestinians who are suffering immensely from this war that Hamas has unleashed,” Mr Biden said.

The Israeli army now occupies much of the northern half of the Gaza Strip, and about 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinian residents have been forced to flee their homes.

Mr Biden placed the blame for this squarely at Hamas’s door. “Hamas doesn’t care,” he said.

Julian Barnes reporting contributed.