'General' cease-fire would benefit Hamas, US official says
A "general" cease-fire would benefit Hamas and "legitimize" the group's Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday.
"A general cease-fire means everybody lays your arms down and you talk about the end of this conflict," Kirby told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America." "To do that right now would be a benefit to hamas. It would give them time. It would also legitimatize what they did on October 7th."
He said Israeli military forces were in the middle of an "operational campaign" targeting Hamas leadership.
"We believe Israel has a right to do that and we'll continue to make sure they get the tools and capabilities," Kirby said.
But there may be a need for a "pause" if some of the about 240 hostages taken by Hamas are to be released, Kirby said
Top White House spokesperson on efforts to free hostages held by Hamas
"What we want to make sure is not only can we secure their release, George, but that when we get that release secured, that we can get them safely out of Gaza and into Israel, into safer hands," he said. "That requires this idea of a temporary humanitarian pause."
-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey