On Monday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “On Balance,” Sabrina Singh, who served as Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary during the Biden administration, stated that “we need Hamas to get back to the table so that a ceasefire can continue” and release more hostages and that while the Israeli strikes in Gaza could put the hostages at risk, Hamas also sometimes has to be forced to come back to the table.
After host Leland Vittert said Trump is taking the handcuffs off Israel and is changing tactics towards Iran, Singh said the U.S. stood with Israel after it was attacked by Iran during the Biden administration and discussed President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on Iran, then stated, “And, on top of what you’re saying is, Israel, the handcuffs have come off and they’re starting — resuming military operations in Gaza. This was also a President that said, on day one, there would be peace. So, we are seeing that promise broken again. Now, valid, that Hamas also needs to come to the table and release more hostages. But we’re seeing some of the commitments that Donald Trump came in on, they’re not being met. And I think that’s important context.”
She added that the U.S. gave Israel whatever it needed under the Biden administration and the U.S. will stick by Israel no matter who is in power and continued, “I think what’s important here is that the war is ongoing in Gaza and there are still almost 60 hostages that remain under Hamas’ control. Those are the people we need to be focused on, and, unfortunately, we are in this situation where we — I don’t know where these hostages are located, they could be in tunnels, but these strikes, they could endanger their lives. And so, what we need to see is, Israel is willing, I think, to come back to the table, we need Hamas to get back to the table so that a ceasefire can continue in place.”
Vittert then cut in to say, “[T]he flipside, though, is, … it’s hard, at some point, to keep waiting for Hamas. Sometimes, they have to be forced back.”
Singh responded, “Yeah.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
