update deskIsrael at War

State Department says ceasefire would benefit Hamas, not stop rockets

"That's an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border," said Matthew Miller, State Department spokesman.

Miller Miller, U.S. State Department spokesman, answers reporter questions at the department's press briefing on Sept. 14, 2023. Source: YouTube.
Miller Miller, U.S. State Department spokesman, answers reporter questions at the department's press briefing on Sept. 14, 2023. Source: YouTube.

During the U.S. State Department’s press briefing on Monday, spokesman Matthew Miller was asked whether Washington would support a call from European leaders for a “humanitarian pause in what’s happening in Gaza to bring in some aid.”

“We are in conversations with the Europeans about this question of getting humanitarian aid in, and we are in conversations with the government of Israel and the government of Egypt about how best to get humanitarian aid in,” Miller said.

“Whether you call it a pause or whether you call it a ceasefire, you have to think about what that would mean in this context when Israel has suffered this terrorist attack and Israel continues to suffer ongoing terrorist attacks,” Miller added.

“There are rockets, as I said a moment ago, that continue to be launched from Gaza targeting Israel. Any ceasefire would give Hamas the ability to rest, to refit and to get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,” he said. “You can understand perfectly clearly why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border.”

Along those lines, 18 House Democrats, have called for a ceasefire.

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