The White House pushed back on calls for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas conflict by calling for the terrorist group to release hostages it has held for six months.
“You have a party, Hamas, who is holding innocent people that it took hostage a long time ago,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. “There could be a ceasefire in place today that would extend for several weeks, to be built upon longer, if Hamas would be prepared to release some of those people.”
Sullivan complained that his point “doesn’t get a lot of attention” from “the commentariat” regarding the war and calls for a ceasefire.
As he spoke, Vice President Kamala Harris met with the families of American hostages being held in Gaza. They spoke to the press outside the West Wing afterward and made a similar point.
“We are waiting …