The US has reiterated its call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a step towards resolving the ongoing conflict. At the Daily Press Briefing, the statement was made by Matthew Miller, Spokesperson of the US Department of State.
While responding the questions, Matthew Miller addressed various issues, including the hostage negotiations in Gaza, civilian casualties, the call for a ceasefire, and humanitarian aid. He also discussed other key matters in West Asia, such as the situation in Syria.
When asked about the latest development on the hostage negotiations in Gaza, Matthew Miller expressed that there is a “lot of optimism”.
“Negotiations have been productive in recent days. We have continued to try to work with the other mediators to narrow the differences. We have been down this road so many times before, though, it’s hard to stand here and say we’re optimistic about it, because we are very much realistic about how difficult it has been to reach a deal”, stated by Matthew Miller .
“There are a very small number of differences that remain between the parties, and we continue to believe that those differences can be bridged”, he further added.
when questiones about measures to protect journalists in Gaza, where causalities have risen to 196, Matthew Miller stated, “Journalists in Gaza absolutely need to be protected… Ultimately the answer to this is to get a ceasefire, which is why we continue to push for a ceasefire. The journalists that are operating in Gaza are doing so with incredible heroism. The U.S. doesn’t have any personnel on the ground to verify reports, so we rely on journalists to bring that information forward, and we rely on the work that they do. But as long as it is an active conflict zone, journalists are going to be at risk the same way other civilians are going to be at risk, which is why we believe the ultimate answer to this question is to reach a ceasefire and why we continue to use all of the diplomatic muscle that we can bring to bear to try to get one over the line”.
Addressing the civilian deaths in Gaza, Matthew Miller stated, “There continue to be unspeakable tragedies happening in Gaza every day, not just the death of civilians, the maiming of civilians, the people who find it difficult to get enough to eat, the people that find it difficult to get access to medical care. It is an ongoing tragedy, and the answer to stopping that tragedy is to reach a ceasefire, which doesn’t just require acquiescence by Israel; it requires acquiescence by Hamas”.
Matthew Miller declined to comments on a report from Israeli Maariv Newspaper which claimed that Egypt has reached on an agreement with the Hamas that a transitional committee which is not Hamas could run Gaza and look after things.
Matthew Miller stated, “I’m not going to speak to that report. I’m not aware of it. But I can tell you we have been having conversations with a number of parties in the region for some time about what the post-conflict period ought to look like in Gaza, including what governance ought to look like. We have made clear that the status quo as it existed before October 7th cannot continue. Gaza cannot continue to be governed by Hamas. But as to what the governance looks like, it’s not something I can speak to today”.
Commenting on the access of aid into Gaza, Matthew Miller expressed that despite the challenges there have been improvements. He stressed that reaching a ceasefire is essential to resolving the situation.
