Did The US Have Knowledge Of Hamas Leader Assassination Beforehand?: Reporter Grills Kirby

2 months ago

During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby was asked about the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

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00:00Well, with those – with our expectations tempered, can you talk about whether the United

00:04States has any previous knowledge of the assassination beforehand?

00:08No.

00:09Again, I'm not in a position to – just want to –

00:12No, you can't say that we had knowledge, or no, we had no knowledge.

00:16You throw your voice pretty well all the way to the back of the room.

00:19You just need a puppet.

00:22Let me just clarify here.

00:24I am not in a position to confirm the reports coming out of Tehran.

00:31I've seen the statement that Hamas put out.

00:34I can't confirm or verify.

00:36We have no independent confirmation.

00:39But I can state that I also have no conversations around that reporting that I can speak to

00:49today.

00:51And can you talk about the White House's view on an impact on a potential ceasefire

00:57and how much this complicates and delays the prospect of one?

01:01It's always been a complicated process.

01:04I mean, my goodness, how many times have we talked about it in the last few months and

01:07even in just the last few weeks?

01:09I think it's too soon to know what any of these reported events could mean for the ceasefire

01:17deal.

01:18But if I could add two points, one is that doesn't mean we're going to stop working

01:22on it.

01:23In fact, we have a team in the region right now as we speak to try to continue to work

01:26with our counterparts to move this forward because it's that important.

01:31And number two, as I kind of alluded to earlier, it's always been complicated work.

01:35And it's not like the complications with every passing day get easier.

01:40And that includes today.

01:42Our job since the beginning of this conflict, in addition to making sure Israel has what

01:46it needs to defend itself, in addition to making sure the people of Gaza aren't suffering

01:50more than they already are, is to manage risk in the region.

01:54One of the things the President's been very focused on is trying to prevent escalation

01:57here.

01:58That work is complicated and difficult every day, and that includes today.

Did The US Have Knowledge Of Hamas Leader Assassination Beforehand?: Reporter Grills Kirby

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