State Dept Official Asked If Israel Would Consider Gaza Ceasefire In The Event Of War With Hezbollah

2 months ago

State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel was asked about a ceasefire in Gaza if Israel ends up in full-scale fighting with Hezbollah.

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Transcript

00:00Okay, a follow-on.

00:01Let's move on.

00:02Yeah.

00:03Does the – does this department believe that the Israeli Government would agree to

00:05a ceasefire deal in Gaza while engaging in kinetic activity in northern Lebanon?

00:10I'm just not going to speculate or – speculate the sequencing on – as it relates to these

00:17kinds of things.

00:19First and foremost, as it relates to a ceasefire in Gaza – you heard me talk a little bit

00:22about this yesterday – we think that it can unlock a lot of things.

00:27First and foremost, create conditions for the remaining hostages, including Americans,

00:32to be returned home, create conditions for the influx of additional humanitarian aid

00:36to address the situation in Gaza.

00:39It also can create the conditions for broader diplomacy to take place to get this region

00:43out of the endless cycle of violence.

00:46We also believe that a ceasefire and a hostage deal in Gaza can accelerate the possibility

00:52of progress, including lasting security and calm, along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

00:57And that's why we're going to continue to remain focused on that.

00:59But I just don't want to speculate on sequencing, and I certainly don't want to speak for

01:03other countries.

01:04Sure.

01:05It's less speculation.

01:06I mean, the Secretary's readout with the Egyptian foreign minister stressed the same,

01:10that a ceasefire agreement can lead to a diplomatic resolution in northern Lebanon.

01:14Absolutely.

01:15But what I'm asking is whether you've had an indication from the Israelis that that

01:20is in the realm of possibility, or whether they believe that it is important first to

01:24retaliate fully against Hezbollah before they consider making a deal with him.

01:28Look, I'm not going to speak for other countries and actors in the region.

01:33I'm not a spokesperson for them.

01:35What I can say is that from the United States perspective, we think that diplomacy is the

01:41best path forward here.

01:42We are focused on that, engaging with officials in Israel and Lebanese officials on reaching

01:48a diplomatic solution along the blue line.

01:50Most important to us is creating the conditions so civilians can return home.

01:55And simultaneously, we're continuing to pursue every effort as it relates to a ceasefire

02:00and hostage deal in Gaza, because not only is that beneficial for Gaza and Israel in

02:05the immediate sense, but also we believe that it has potential in the north as well.

State Dept Official Asked If Israel Would Consider Gaza Ceasefire In The Event Of War With Hezbollah

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