Hostage talks with Israel and Hamas not over: US
The US State Department does not think hostage talks with Israel and Hamas are over, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, adding that Washington thinks there is an ability to continue to pursue the release of hostages.
Miller, speaking to reporters at a regular news briefing, said “we do” when asked if a limited military campaign in Rafah can take out remaining commanders of the Palestinian militant group.
On Tuesday, Israel issued a statement following UN Security Council resolution stating that the vote for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has hampered hostage talks. Miller responded to the statement calling it inaccurate and unfair.
Miller told reporters on Tuesday that Palestinian militant group Hamas’ response to the proposal for the release of hostages was prepared before the UN Security Council vote on Monday, not after, and said the US would continue to work to try and bring hostages home.
During the UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire meeting on Monday Israel's main ally, the United States, abstained in the vote following global pressure for a ceasefire to ease fears of famine after nearly six months of war.
After the US decided not to use its veto powers, the resolution passed 14-0.
Upset over the US abstaina, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the visit in protest.
Netanyahu accused the US of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the ceasefire on the release of hostages.
Israel’s statement that a United Nations resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas hampered hostage talks is inaccurate and unfair,
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.
Miller told reporters that Palestinian militant group Hamas’ response to the proposal for the release of hostages was prepared before the UN Security Council vote on Monday, not after, and said the US would continue to work to try and bring hostages home.
During the UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire meeting on Monday Israel's main ally, the United States, abstained in the vote following global pressure for a ceasefire to ease fears of famine after nearly six months of war.
After the US decided not to use its veto powers, the resolution passed 14-0.
Upset over the US abstaina, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the visit in protest.
Netanyahu accused the US of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the ceasefire on the release of hostages.
The dispute signals an erosion in the US-Israel relationship that has been under a microscope for months as the military assault on Hamas continues, escalating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Hamas, on the other hand, welcomed the resolution, which also demanded the unconditional release of all hostages.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and driven a third of Gaza’s population to the brink of starvation.
It was launched in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people.
Hamas-led militants also took around 250 people hostage.
They are still holding around 100 hostages, and the remains of around 30 others, after most of the rest were freed during a ceasefire last year in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.