The Biden administration formally issued its condolences to the families of the 21 IDF soldiers who were killed Monday when an RPG struck a Merkava tank and a structure soldiers were preparing for demolition.
�It was a terrible day for the IDF yesterday,� National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing. �That�s an enormous amount of troops lost in one day and certainly our condolences go out to all the families and their teammates as well.�
Kirby added that “sober and serious” discussions are ongoing regarding a potential hostage deal, echoing similar statements made by US officials in recent weeks. However, he made a point to differentiate these talks from formal negotiations, noting that significant progress is needed before reaching an agreement.
When questioned about a new proposal from Israel suggesting a temporary pause of hostilities for up to two months in return for a phased release of the remaining 136 hostages, Kirby reiterated the US’s support for extended breaks in fighting. He did not, however, explicitly endorse a permanent ceasefire.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
