Israel karine good afternoon, everybody. Good to see everyone. Couple things at the top before i turn it over to the admiral. As the conflict between israel and hamas continues, President Biden has made it a top priority to ensure that the Palestinian People receive urgently needed humanitarian aid. This is something he has been actively engaged on over the past week, including calls with president sisi of egypt and meetings and calls with Prime Minister netanyahu. We are glad to see the first convoys of humanitarian assistance over the weekend across the border into gaza and reach palestinians in a neat. And we are grateful for partners involved in these efforts. It is important to keep rafah crossings in operation and aid flowing without diversion from hamas. Humanitarian assistance remain a critical and urgent need for palestinians in gaza. We know, and we understand this, that much more is needed, and this will remain a priority for us in the days and weeks ahead. I also wanted to say a few words about the supplemental request that we detailed to all of you on friday. Under President Bidens leadership, we have rallied a Global Response to putins invasion of ukraine and provided aid following hamass barbaric tourist attack terrorist attack. We now need to congress to provide Additional Resources that will support allies and partners in their fight against tyrants and terrorists. The supplemental the president put forward is for an American Industrial base to ensure that american readiness, american economy, creates american jobs, supports israel as it protects itself against hamas, helps ukraine defend against putins brutal invasion, provides humanitarian assistants to civilians devastated by putins invasion and hamass horrific attacks, strengthen security in the in the pacific, provide alternative financing by the prc, and fights the flow of fentanyl. The world is watching and the American People expect their leaders to come together and deliver on these priorities. We will work with members of both parties to address these needs in a bipartisan agreement in the weeks ahead. With that, admiral john kirby from the National Security council is here to answer any questions you have on israel and any other foreignrelated items. Admiral . Adm. Kirby afternoon, everybody. Just to recap events from the past few days, good to catch up after the weekend. On friday we successfully secured the release of two americans taken hostage by hamas during the horrific terrorist assault on the seventh of october, and the president had a chance to speak with them and their families. They met in tel aviv, family members of others who have been taken hostage. We have no higher priority than the safety of americans being held around the world and we will continue around the clock to see if we can get them home to their families where they belong. It is literally an hourbyhour effort here at the white house and that the state department to find out where these folks are and to try to make the effort to get them out and get them back. As karine just spoke about, first convoys over the weekend of humanitarian assistance across the border was able to reach palestinians in need. As she also said, we will continue those efforts going forward. It is important that the aid be sustainable, and that is what we are focused on. Over the weekend the president received briefings from his National Security team on all the latest of elements. Yesterday, as you know, he completed calls to Prime Minister netanyahu, his holiness pope francis, and the leaders of canada, france, germany, and the united kingdom. Im sure you saw the joint statement from those leaders that they release last night. I want to reiterate it, but hopefully i wont reiterate it, but hopefully you can take from that unanimity on israels right to defend itself against terrorism while adhering to International Humanitarian law including the production of civilians. Protection of civilians we have seen over the course of the last week but over the last couple days and weekend an uptick in rocket and drone attacks by iranianbacked proxy groups in iraq and syria. We are concerned about the potential for any significant escalation of these attacks in the days ahead. At the direction of President Biden, the secretary of defense has ordered the military to take steps to prepare for this to ensure that we are postured to properly in terms of being able to defend our forces and respond decisively as needed. The secretary of defense has directed to Carrier Strike groups to the region, and we are sending air defenses to u. S. Air bases in the region. We know these goods are supported by the irgc groups are supported by the irgc regime. We know iran continues to support hamas and hezbollah. And we know iran is closely monitoring these events and in some cases actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good, for that of iran. We know irans goal is to maintain some level of deniability, but we are not going to allow them to do that. We will not allow any threats to our interests in the reason to go unchallenged. We demonstrate it last week that we have and will use the military capabilities available to us to protect and defend those interests. Those cap abilities are getting bigger and better every day fora. As President Biden has said, i message to any hostile actors is simple, dont do it. Reporter john, is it your view that the israelis should begin their gaza defensive when they feel ready . Adm. Kirby it is our view that the Defense Forces need to decide for themselves when to conduct operations. We are not in the business of dictating terms to them and we are certainly not in the business at the white house of previewing any future operations one way or the other. That would be inappropriate. Reporter secondly, you said iran is actively facilitating these acts. What exactly are they doing . Adm. Kirby their support for these iranbacked proxies is no secret. It is pretty open. They have made no secret of it. Funding, resourcing in terms of providing the rockets and the munitions that they fire, training for some of these guys. I mean, theres a connection between these groups and the irgc, a very direct connection. Reporter we have reported that the administration has been urging israel to delay a Ground Invasion. Can you tell us whether other countries are making the same request . Is there a quite a knitted effort . Coordinated effort . Adm. Kirby i wont speak for other nations and what communication they have with israel. We have since the early hours maintain a level of communication with our israeli counterparts to ascertain their intentions, their strategies, their aims, to see what their answers are to the kind of tough questions that any military ought to be asking before you launch any major operation. Have you thought to the branches, have you thought to the unintended consequences . We are in active conversation about that. Reporter we have seen a number of leaders travel to israel or commit to traveling to israel, of course the president himself. Is your understanding that they would not be a Ground Invasion as long as there is a head of state in the country . Adm. Kirby that is a question for israeli officials to speak to, mj. I just dont want to be in a position where i am speaking for the israeli Defense Forces. Reporter another quick topic why is it that people currently are not able to leave gaza right now . Do you have an explanation as to why that humanitarian core door for people to exit gaza isnt open . Is the obstacles of hamas, is it the egyptians . Adm. Kirby i think there is a lot of factors going into why there is no exit out. We are glad stuff is going in, but we still want to see safe passage out, particularly for the several hundred american citizens we know are in gaza and want to leave. Ambassador satterfield is working this very, very hard. There is a number of factors. Security egyptian officials have spoken to this. Theyve got legitimate secreted concerns, and again, we need to work through that. Reporter admiral, can you tell us the latest on the status of hostages and the work to try to release additional hostages . Do you see i those being held who might be the next do you see a category of those being held who might be next to be released . Can you get a sense of what that picture look like . Adm. Kirby i wish i could, kelly, i really do. These are all great questions, but where we are in the process makes it impossible for us to quickly detail the efforts going on. We are grateful for all the help we got, and we got help getting those two americans out, the mother and daughter. We are grad they are ok and are going to be reunited with the family and come back home. There are a bunch of others that arent. Small group we still think are americans, and then there are dozens and dozens from other countries, obviously israel as well. Theres a lot of effort going on, a lot of conversations and discussions with partners in the region, and it is best if we dont detail that. Reporter do we have a word on the number of americans, handful, as many as 10 . Adm. Kirby i want to be careful because the numbers have fluctuated since last time i talked to you. We are glad to know that the number is down by two, obviously, but we still have about 10 unaccounted for americans, and it is not exec liquor to us where those 10 people are. It is not exactly clear to us whether 10 people are. I would still categorize it as a handful. I know that is not the specificity want, but that is the detail i should get. Reporter there is a dual national from maryland who went to serve in the idf who was killed in action. Can you speak to that situation, if the president has reached the family or has intention to do that . Adm. Kirby we certainly offer our deepest condolences to the family. There it that is news no mom and dad ever want to get. I dont have any communication to speak to one way or the other, but our thoughts and prayers go to the family. Reporter john, on a posthamas gaza, if that were to happen, is there anything you could share about what conversations the u. S. Is having on what the posthamas gaza would look like . Adm. Kirby that is going to be a conversation that israeli officials need to start having monks themselves. Amongst themselves. Without speaking for them, i dont think im going to far to say that the focus right now is ongoing after hamas, where they are in gaza, getting him into terry and assistance in, getting people out getting humanitarian assistance in, getting people out. The focus of our israeli counterparts is on prosecuting these efforts against hamas. The issue of governance in gaza is certainly not an important, but i wouldnt speak for the ash not u is not unimportant, but im not speaking for the israelis on what that would look like. Reporter [indiscernible] adm. Kirby we have talked to the israelis about their strategy and that includes longterm issues that are out ahead of them. But i think you can understand, appropriately right now, the focus is on the operational picture. Reporter on the normalization process, can you save it saudi arabia has provided a list of requests of what it might like to see for the talks between saudi arabia and israel . Adm. Kirby im not tracking or aware of a specific threat. Youre talking postoctober 7. Im not aware of a new list or homework assignment they submitted. We believe those talks are important and we still want to pursue normalization. We understand that both in israel and of course in reality there is a different of course in riyadh there is a different focus, but we have every intention of keeping that going. Reporter thank you, admiral. What kinds of humanitarian aid wouldve the u. S. Like to see reaching the palestinians before israel launches a Ground Invasion . Adm. Kirby can i bifurcate that question . Im not going to sit here and is and there is going to be some sort of Ground Invasion assume there is going to be some sort of Ground Invasion, and im certainly not speaking to some hypothetical timing. Lets talk humanitarian assistance at large you heard karine, we are getting food, water, medicine into gaza. Not enough. There has been three convoys a little less than 60 trucks. That is a good start, it is just a start. We want to see it keep going and over the coming days you will see convoys of trucks getting in. But fuel is also an issue. We know you need fuel to run the Power Generators and hospitals, you need fuel to run the pumps and the desalination facilities so people can drink fresh, healthy water. That is another thing we are working on. Reporter whether or not there is a Ground Invasion, do you view humanitarian aid getting there first is important . Adm. Kirby whether or not there is a Ground Invasion, we believe humanitarian assistance flowing to the people of gaza is greatly important, and he needs to go as soon as possible and as much as possible. Reporter where does the president stand on this . There was confusion over the weekend about whether or not he had said that, yes, he does want israel to wait until humanitarian assistance can get to the Palestinian People before any invasion. Adm. Kirby we have been Crystal Clear with our partners in the region including israel that we want to see humanitarian assistance flow. There is no change to our pastor on that as allposture on that as all. We are not dictating military terms to the israeli Defense Forces. They have a right and responsibility to go after these terrorists, and they will do it in a way that they believe is appropriate to the threat. We are definitely going to support them in terms of providing the capabilities for them to continue to prosecute Hamas Terrorists. In fact, Security Assistance has continued to flow over the course of the weekend and it will. But we are not dictating terms. Reporter the u. N. Secretarygeneral, the European Union policy chief, have called for a ceasefire. Will we see the United States calling for humanitarian ceasefire . Adm. Kirby what we want is for israel to have the tools it needs to defend itself and go after hamas and that human attorney assistance keeps flowing. It started at humanitarian assistance keeps flowing. It started and it is a good thing. Reporter you mentioned the joint statement yesterday where several western alliance asked israel to protect civilians. The death toll gaza is rising sharply. Are israelis listening adm. Kirby we are not going to parcel out each and every event that happens on the battlefield, especially since we are not there. There hasnt been a conversation we have had with israeli counterpart and we have had them at all levels where we are not talking about just what they want to do, but how they want to do it. Reporter john, i reported that the u. S. Was urging israel to delay a Ground Invasion the day after officials here issued statements denying that was the case. Other outlets have started to report the same information that i had. Today you are not confirming any of those reports. My question is arent you at all concerned that if the u. S. Is not clear with the public about what we are asking or suggesting to israel that they do here, that that is going to complicate getting this aid package through congress . You guys are asking for 105 billion, a portion of this goes towards israel. Are you concerned that not being clear with folks about what the u. S. Is advising israel to do will hamper support in congress for this aid . Adm. Kirby we have been clear and consistent about our support for israel and their ability to defend themselves, jackie can we have been very clear and consistent about the fact that we will provide Security Assistance so they can do that, we have been clear and consistent about the need for mentoring assistance to flow and clear and consistent about our desire to get people out of gaza as well as get hostages home. We have been consistent throughout and that includes with members of congress. Yes, we are going to need congressional support to continue to support israel. We have got enough appropriations available to us a while longer. How long is that while it is going to depend on the expenditure rate and the kinds of operations they are conducting. So we desperately need congress to act on the supplemental request. Reporter but with questions about the israelis and their strategy, are you liking their answers they are giving you . Adm. Kirby im not going to comment these have been clear and consistent conversations making sure they have what they need and they are thinking through we are asking them what their answers are to the cancer questions that any military out to be asking kinds of questions that any military ought to be asking as they connect the operations. Reporter how are you going to convince people that this is not going to get into hamass hands when, for instance, we saw fraud with covid relief money in the u. S. , and we are now talking about securing an understanding with hamas, a terror group, about how this human entering aid should be used . How can you convince people that that is going to be a worthwhile, necessary, and secure endeavor . Adm. Kirby we certainly share concerns about any divergenc of humanitarian assistancee for hamass purposes. Fuel is a good example. They need fuel to electrify and power their tunnels. We understand that. We are not blind to the potential concerns here over divergent, which is why ambassador satterfield is on the ground. The whole purpose is to make sure the humanitarian assistance can get to the Palestinian People. We have seen no indications as of today that any of the trucks karine talked about, any of the materials have been diverted to hamas or been absconded by hamas. In fact, every indication has been that it