President Joe Biden made a strong statement on Monday, asserting that he would not consider backing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war until all hostages kidnapped by Hamas are released.
Speaking to reporters, Biden emphasized the need for the safe return of approximately 200 hostages, including Americans, who are believed to be held captive in the Gaza Strip.
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While some liberal Democrats in Congress have urged Biden to facilitate a ceasefire agreement, the President has remained steadfast in his support for Israel since the U.S. ally was attacked by Hamas on October 7.
The rising casualties among Palestinians in Gaza and the complications in delivering humanitarian resources have intensified calls for a ceasefire.
However, the State Department has rejected the idea of a ceasefire, arguing that it would undermine Israel’s ability to defend itself against continued terrorist threats.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “Any ceasefire would give Hamas the opportunity to regroup and launch further terrorist attacks against Israel. This is an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack.”
Hamas recently released two Israeli women hostages and two American hostages, a mother and daughter, in separate incidents. Biden revealed that he plans to discuss the Middle East Conflict in the White House Situation Room, but did not provide further details.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has taken action to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from escalating the Israel-Hamas war. Additional troops have been deployed to the Middle East as part of the Biden administration’s efforts.
John Kirby, a White House spokesman on national security matters, confirmed the deployment, stating, “The U.S. has added additional military forces to the region, and more forces will be arriving in the coming days and weeks to deter any further escalation of this conflict.”
The decision to increase military presence comes after an increase in rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed proxy groups on military bases housing U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria.
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Kirby emphasized that the U.S. is taking these actions to ensure that it is well-prepared. The Pentagon has already dispatched two carrier strike groups to the region, but Kirby declined to provide specifics about the additional military presence.
Furthermore, Kirby highlighted that Iran is closely monitoring and, in some cases, facilitating these attacks, while also encouraging others to exploit the conflict for their own benefit. He stated, “We know Iran’s goal is to maintain deniability, but we will not allow them to do so.”
