White House Says Hostage Killings Add Urgency to Gaza Ceasefire Talks

 Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
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White House Says Hostage Killings Add Urgency to Gaza Ceasefire Talks

 Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)

The killing by Hamas of six hostages, whose bodies were recovered by Israeli troops over the weekend, underscores the urgency for a ceasefire deal in Gaza and release of the remaining captives, the White House said on Tuesday.

"Clearly what happened over the weekend underscores how important it is to get this done as quickly as possible," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a briefing, adding that Hamas was responsible for their deaths.

The United States and its allies have been pushing hard to negotiate a ceasefire-for-hostages deal to bring at least a temporary stop to the Gaza conflict in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages.

But an agreement has been elusive. US officials have been working on what some officials call a final proposal, but Kirby was quick to say the United States would not be pushing a "take it or leave it" concept.

"We're working on a proposal that will secure the release of the remaining hostages and will include massive and immediate relief for the people of Gaza and also result in a stoppage of the fighting," he said.

He said he did not have a timeframe on when the proposal would be formally presented.

"We are still in constant consultations with Qatar, Egypt and Israel, and of course, Qatar and Egypt are in touch with Hamas, and we're going to do what we can to get it done," said Kirby.

President Joe Biden said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to do more to reach a ceasefire agreement.



US Says Israel Must Improve Gaza's Humanitarian Situation or Risk Aid

 People attempt to extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced people, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
People attempt to extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced people, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
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US Says Israel Must Improve Gaza's Humanitarian Situation or Risk Aid

 People attempt to extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced people, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
People attempt to extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced people, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Israel must take urgent steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza to avoid legal action involving US military aid, according to news reports on Tuesday.

"We are writing now to underscore the US government's deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory," they wrote in an Oct. 13 letter to their Israeli counterparts, posted by an Axios reporter on X, according to Reuters.

The State Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Israel's government also could not be immediately reached for comment.

The report comes as Israeli forces expand operations into northern Gaza amid ongoing concerns about access to humanitarian aid throughout the enclave and civilians' access to food, water and medicine.

US officials earlier this year said Israel may have violated international humanitarian law using US-supplied weapons during its military operation in Gaza.

This week's letter cited Section 620i of the Foreign Assistance Act, which restricts (prohibits) military aid to countries that impede delivery of US humanitarian assistance.

It also cited a National Security Memorandum that US President Joe Biden issued in February that requires the State Department to report to Congress on whether it finds credible Israel's assurances that its use of US weapons does not violate US or international law.