White House urges Hamas to release hostages as relatives meet with Harris

The White House pushed back on calls for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas conflict by calling for the terrorist group to release hostages it has held for six months.

“You have a party, Hamas, who is holding innocent people that it took hostage a long time ago,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. “There could be a ceasefire in place today that would extend for several weeks, to be built upon longer, if Hamas would be prepared to release some of those people.”