The White House said Tuesday that President Joe Biden is directly engaged in an effort to rescue 17 missionaries, including five children, being held hostage by a gang in Haiti since they were kidnapped 11 days ago, and that “every possible option” is on the table to secure their freedom.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Biden continues to be briefed daily on the hostage situation, which involves 16 Americans and a Canadian citizen who work for Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. The president, he said, is especially concerned about the well-being of the children, the youngest of whom is eight months old.

“I personally give an update on this issue every single day to the president, who is taking a deep interest in making sure we get every single one of those people home safely,” Sullivan said.

The group was kidnapped on Oct. 16 by the 400 Mawozo gang in Port-au-Prince after returning from visiting an orphanage east of Port-au-Prince. The gang asked for a $17 million ransom — $1 million per hostage in order to release them.

Their kidnapping in Haiti comes as the country faces a cascade of crises, including a surge in kidnappings and armed gang violence. Schools and businesses have been shuttered due to a lack of fuel, and hospitals have issued SOS, warning that patients will die if fuel is not forthcoming. The gang-engineered halt in fuel deliveries, including at the port, is affecting cellphone service, which relies on towers having fuel.
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