Harris says US will not stop putting ‘pressure’ on Israel for ceasefire

WASHINGTON - The United States will not ease its “pressure” on Israel and Arab leaders to reach a deal on hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, Vice-President Kamala Harris said in an interview released on Oct 6.

Washington is working with Israel on humanitarian aid and “the need for a deal to be done which would release the hostages and create a ceasefire; and we’re not going to stop in terms of putting that pressure on Israel and in the region, including Arab leaders,” Ms Harris told CBS’ 60 Minutes.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “not listening”, CBS journalist Bill Whitaker suggested to Ms Harris in an excerpt from the interview, which is due to air in full on Oct 7.

The Democratic presidential candidate argued that US efforts have “resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region”.

Referring to an Iranian missile strike on Israel, she insisted that it was “our imperative to do what we can to allow Israel to defend itself against those kinds of attacks”.

Israel has been on high alert in the build-up to the anniversary on Oct 7 of

Hamas’ unprecedented attack in 2023,

which triggered the war in Gaza. It has now turned its focus to Hezbollah, Hamas’ Iran-backed ally in Lebanon, and has vowed to avenge the Iranian missile attack.

The Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militants resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.

Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,870 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s Health Ministry and described as reliable by the UN.

When asked by Mr Whitaker if the US has a “real, close ally” in Mr Netanyahu, Ms Harris responded: “(The) better question is: Do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people?”

“And the answer to that question is yes.” AFP