During a State Department press briefing, Spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked about President Donald Trump's meetings with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
00:00Hi, Tammy. Thank you. What can you tell us about Gaza ceasefire talks? Prime Minister Netanyahu is here. He's going to meet with President Trump again tonight. Is it close? What are the remaining sticking points?
00:13So many questions. I mean, that's seven questions so far.
00:15No, it's only two, actually.
00:16Yes, all right.
00:17You can handle it.
00:18I think I can. I think I can. It's an important question, obviously. This is something that the President and this administration has been focused on, as has the Secretary from day one.
00:30I can tell you that I think it has been clear. The President has been optimistic from the start, and his optimism holds. He is very hopeful for progress.
00:43There was some commentary made, of course, at the Cabinet meeting, which I do want to share with you.
00:52I think the Wythcoff had also made some remarks. Is this in the book or in the paper here when it comes to the commentary? I think we're going to get that. You might see one of my specials coming up here in a moment, because I want to get you specifically what, of course, the Special Envoy has said as well.
01:12Let's get that. That was what was fun with a lot of people here at the State Department taking furious notes as the as the commentaries went around the table for the for the Cabinet meeting.
01:24But we have from both the from both the from both the Special Envoy and the President on so many issues.
01:39But, yes, let's get this on the Netanyahu meeting.
01:45There will be another meeting this evening with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the President is noted, of course, Gaza is is a tragedy and everyone wants to get it solved.
02:00Ambassador Wythcoff says we are in proximity talks. Now we had four issues and now we're down to one after two days of proximity talks.
02:10So we're hopeful by the end of this week that we'll have an agreement that brings us to a 60 day ceasefire.
02:18Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased will be released.
02:24We're in we're meeting with all the hostage families to let them know.
02:29And we think this will lead to a lasting peace in Gaza.
02:36So I think that's what we have. Right.
02:38Do you know much about the sticking points?
02:41Because Palestinian sources had said on Monday that there has been like progress has been held up by Israel's limits on allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.
02:49And in the text, it says the aid will be delivered by United Nations, Red Crescent and other agreed channels.
02:56Does the U.S. want and Israel want for GHF to be one of these channels?
03:02Well, we're focused on still getting a ceasefire.
03:07We're still at the talks of that.
03:09It has not been signed. It's not been established.
03:11We believe it will be.
03:13We had a ceasefire once before that was broken early on in this dynamic.
03:18And October 7th, there was a ceasefire that was also broken by the same monsters who continue to make statements, which I would suggest anything you hear or receive from Hamas,
03:28that terrorist group that is responsible for the suffering and the carnage for generations, should look at with a side eye, with suspicion.
03:37And many of the reports you hear are from that perspective, still certainly detached from what's best for humanity and from the reality of the situation.
03:48So it's we're focused on the president is focused on the ceasefire itself.
03:54Nothing is given until it's done.
03:57And that is what we're looking at.
03:59I think that for those who are it's thinking about more aid, fabulous.
04:04Of course, the State Department and certainly Secretary Rubio and the president have made comments throughout this process
04:11about the importance of aid, about the importance of assisting the people who are the first victims of Hamas, which are the people of Gaza.
04:19And we've stayed true to that principle and we remain committed to it.
04:23So however many are going to participate in the rebuilding and in an end to the suffering, those are it's great news,
04:33but it has to be new ideas that can actually succeed.
04:36And we're on our way, of course, to accomplishing that.
