Although he is unsure, Biden claims to have heard that there are no hostages in Gaza's tunnels

In response to reports that Israel has started testing seawater flooding in some Gaza Strip tunnels in an effort to weaken the larger tunnel network—which it maintains Hamas has been using—US President Joe Biden was questioned on Tuesday.

During a press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, Biden informed reporters that although his administration has heard "assertions" that no hostages are being held in those tunnels at this time, they have not been able to verify that with certainty.

“With regard to the flooding of the tunnels, I’m not at liberty – well, there is assertions being made that they’re quite sure there are no hostages in any of these tunnels, but I don't know that for a fact,” Biden said. “I do know that, though, every civilian death is an absolute tragedy.”