Fox News’ Martha MacCallum got into a testy exchange with White House national security advisor John Kirby on Wednesday after he refused to “confirm” whether President Joe Biden has called for a three-day humanitarian pause in Gaza.
Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a three-day pause in the war between Israel and Hamas so that hostages could be released, Axios first reported. Netanyahu told Biden he does not trust Hamas’ intentions with a three-day pause and does not expect the terror group to release hostages during the proposed pause, per the outlet.
“Is there something in the works right now to get the hostages out, and is that why the president wants a three-day pause, and has he heard back from Benjamin Netanyahu? He said he was waiting to hear,” MacCallum asked Kirby. (RELATED: Biden Abruptly Calls For ‘Pause’ In Israel-Hamas War After Heckler Demands ‘Cease-Fire’)
“So I don’t want to — I’m not going to confirm this reporting about a ‘three-day pause.’ What I can confirm, Martha, is that we continue to talk to the Israelis about the benefit and the idea of humanitarian pauses, plural. Because we think that there’s multiple reasons and multiple locations where pauses could be useful. Certainly, in getting the hostages out, also getting humanitarian assistance in. We have had routine and frank discussions with our Israeli counterparts about the benefit of pauses. The prime minister said … that he’s open to considering pauses.”
MacCallum then cited footage showing an “intense battle that is underway” in Gaza City.
“There wouldn’t be a pause in that [battle], correct?” she asked.
“So, it’s important to remember on pauses, Martha, they’re gonna be temporary, short in duration, localized on the map–”
“So, is there a three-day request or not? Was there a three-day request? Because that’s a long pause. That would give Hamas a lot of time.”
“[I’m] not gonna confirm those reports about a three-day request. But I think it’s important to remember that a pause doesn’t mean you have to pause all across the battlefront. A pause is localized for a certain piece of geography over a certain period of time.”
MacCallum then pressed Kirby whether a pause would be a “promise to Hamas” that Israel would pause and “if we do, you’ll let [the hostages] go,” or whether the Israel Defense Forces will only pause if Hamas agrees to release all the hostages.
“I’m not going to negotiate here in public on how we’re trying to get these hostages released,” Kirby answered. “The idea of a pause is, again, temporary in time, localized in scope to allow for hostages’ safe passage to get from where they are being kept to where they can secure freedom.”