President Biden has spent the past two weeks secluded in Southern California and at a home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This follows a tumultuous summer that has hastened the end of his political career.

Despite his seclusion, presidents are never truly off duty. This reality became clear when Israel recovered the bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza on Saturday. The White House announced late that day that Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a dual Israeli American citizen, was among the dead. Mr. Biden spoke to Mr. Goldberg-Polin's parents on Sunday morning.

"I am devastated and outraged," Mr. Biden said in a statement on Saturday offering his condolences. He added that he would continue to work "around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages."

The president appeared to be working behind the scenes throughout last week. He spoke with the prime minister of India last Monday and was spotted talking on the phone and reading papers on the beach. He briefly addressed reporters about the hostages after attending Mass on Saturday evening, but otherwise tried to stay out of the public eye, emerging only on Wednesday and Saturday for afternoons on the beach.