02:53White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden had been responding to a 'direct question' when he commented that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't 'doing enough' to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal - but refused to elaborate further - during a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Did the president mean what he said, that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wasn't doing enough to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal," she was asked.
"So here is what I'll say. He was asked a question by a colleague, a direct question, and he answered it," Jean-Pierre responded. What I will say, I think more broadly, which is important to note, and the president said this in his statement over the weekend is that make no mistake, they make no mistake about it. Hamas leaders are going to pay for these crimes and he and his team, for sure, will keep working around the clock to get this hostage deal done."
Asked if Biden saw Netanyahu as a 'good faith actor', she replied that Biden saw him as " someone who he's known for some time now, for decades."
"I'm going to not get into a yes or no here. I'm going to get into what I know their relationship to be. And I think that's what's important. The president wants to get this done. And I'm just going to leave it there," she said.
She added that the US was "in constant conversation with the Israeli government at all levels" and said that they "will not make any mistakes about who is responsible for" the deaths of six hostages at the weekend.
"We want to up the assistance into Gaza to the Palestinian people, and we are going to get hostages home, we want to get hostages home to their family," she added.
The six victims, identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, were found on Sunday by the IDF in a Gaza tunnel. While Israel blamed Hamas, the militant group said their deaths were down to Israeli airstrikes.
On Monday Biden reportedly indicated that a deal was "very close" but criticised Netanyahu for 'not doing enough'. Netanyahu rejected the claims, saying he wanted to 'set the record straight' and added that his country had repeatedly agreed to a number of proposals which Hamas had 'refused'.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza broke out on October 7 after the Palestinian group launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 200, according to Israeli officials.
Israel launched a large-scale response of airstrikes and a ground incursion. Palestinian officials reported that 40,819 people had been killed and more than 94,291 injured at the time of publication.
Does Biden see Netanyahu as 'good faith actor'? WH spox says 'I'm not going to get into a yes or no'
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden had been responding to a 'direct question' when he commented that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't 'doing enough' to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal - but refused to elaborate further - during a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Did the president mean what he said, that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wasn't doing enough to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal," she was asked.
"So here is what I'll say. He was asked a question by a colleague, a direct question, and he answered it," Jean-Pierre responded. What I will say, I think more broadly, which is important to note, and the president said this in his statement over the weekend is that make no mistake, they make no mistake about it. Hamas leaders are going to pay for these crimes and he and his team, for sure, will keep working around the clock to get this hostage deal done."
Asked if Biden saw Netanyahu as a 'good faith actor', she replied that Biden saw him as " someone who he's known for some time now, for decades."
"I'm going to not get into a yes or no here. I'm going to get into what I know their relationship to be. And I think that's what's important. The president wants to get this done. And I'm just going to leave it there," she said.
She added that the US was "in constant conversation with the Israeli government at all levels" and said that they "will not make any mistakes about who is responsible for" the deaths of six hostages at the weekend.
"We want to up the assistance into Gaza to the Palestinian people, and we are going to get hostages home, we want to get hostages home to their family," she added.
The six victims, identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, were found on Sunday by the IDF in a Gaza tunnel. While Israel blamed Hamas, the militant group said their deaths were down to Israeli airstrikes.
On Monday Biden reportedly indicated that a deal was "very close" but criticised Netanyahu for 'not doing enough'. Netanyahu rejected the claims, saying he wanted to 'set the record straight' and added that his country had repeatedly agreed to a number of proposals which Hamas had 'refused'.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza broke out on October 7 after the Palestinian group launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 200, according to Israeli officials.
Israel launched a large-scale response of airstrikes and a ground incursion. Palestinian officials reported that 40,819 people had been killed and more than 94,291 injured at the time of publication.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden had been responding to a 'direct question' when he commented that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't 'doing enough' to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal - but refused to elaborate further - during a press conference in Washington DC on Tuesday.
"Did the president mean what he said, that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wasn't doing enough to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal," she was asked.
"So here is what I'll say. He was asked a question by a colleague, a direct question, and he answered it," Jean-Pierre responded. What I will say, I think more broadly, which is important to note, and the president said this in his statement over the weekend is that make no mistake, they make no mistake about it. Hamas leaders are going to pay for these crimes and he and his team, for sure, will keep working around the clock to get this hostage deal done."
Asked if Biden saw Netanyahu as a 'good faith actor', she replied that Biden saw him as " someone who he's known for some time now, for decades."
"I'm going to not get into a yes or no here. I'm going to get into what I know their relationship to be. And I think that's what's important. The president wants to get this done. And I'm just going to leave it there," she said.
She added that the US was "in constant conversation with the Israeli government at all levels" and said that they "will not make any mistakes about who is responsible for" the deaths of six hostages at the weekend.
"We want to up the assistance into Gaza to the Palestinian people, and we are going to get hostages home, we want to get hostages home to their family," she added.
The six victims, identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, were found on Sunday by the IDF in a Gaza tunnel. While Israel blamed Hamas, the militant group said their deaths were down to Israeli airstrikes.
On Monday Biden reportedly indicated that a deal was "very close" but criticised Netanyahu for 'not doing enough'. Netanyahu rejected the claims, saying he wanted to 'set the record straight' and added that his country had repeatedly agreed to a number of proposals which Hamas had 'refused'.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza broke out on October 7 after the Palestinian group launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 200, according to Israeli officials.
Israel launched a large-scale response of airstrikes and a ground incursion. Palestinian officials reported that 40,819 people had been killed and more than 94,291 injured at the time of publication.