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Tuesday, August 5, 2025
US State Dept. declines to comment on reports that Israel plans to occupy Gaza, says freeing hostages is main priority
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
WASHINGTON — US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declines to comment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plan to direct the IDF to fully occupy the Gaza Strip.
“We remain focused on freeing the hostages, including the remains of two Americans, and ensuring that Hamas never rules Gaza again,” Bruce says during a State Department briefing, highlighting the recent videos of emaciated Israeli hostages released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
“What we saw was an astoundingly evil reminder of who they are… For them to feel comfortable putting on full display their barbarity and their inhumanity, tells you that they seem to feel pretty comfortable at the moment,” she adds.
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