U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that the chances were "real" of a truce between Israel and Hamas being extended and he expressed hope that U.S. citizens taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group would be freed soon, Ednews reports citing Reuters.

Biden also praised U.S. diplomacy behind the truce and Friday's release of 24 hostages who were taken by Hamas to Gaza in its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, saying it was the start of what he expected would be further releases in coming days.

"Beginning this morning, under a deal reached by extensive U.S. diplomacy, including numerous calls I've made from the Oval Office to leaders across the region, fighting in Gaza will halt for four days," Biden told a press conference.

Asked whether the truce could be extended, Biden said: "I think the chances are real."

Biden declined to speculate about how long the Israel-Hamas war would last. Asked by a reporter what his expectations were, Biden said Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas was a legitimate but difficult mission.

"I don't know how long it will take," Biden told reporters.

"My expectation and hope is that as we move forward, the rest of the Arab world and the region is also putting pressure on all sides to slow this down, to bring this to an end as quickly as we can."

Under the terms of the truce, 50 women and children hostages are to be released over four days, in return for 150 Palestinian women and children among thousands of detainees in Israeli jails. Israel says the truce could be extended if more hostages are released at a rate of 10 per day.