State Department: freeing hostages and expanding humanitarian aid in Gaza remain priorities

The U.S. State Department said it remains focused on securing hostages taken in the October attacks and on delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, while officials continue to assess options after a recent site visit by a special envoy. The remarks came during a State Department press briefing where reporters asked about Israeli planning and U.S. humanitarian support.

The spokesperson said the immediate priority is freeing hostages, and described recent footage of captives as “an astoundingly evil reminder” that underscored the urgency of U.S. efforts. The spokesperson added that the United States “remains focused on freeing the hostages, including the remains of 2 Americans,” and that ensuring “Hamas never rules Gaza again” is an administration priority.

The briefing also addressed humanitarian delivery. The spokesperson said special envoy Whitkoff spent more than five hours inside Gaza to assess needs and plan how to deliver food and medical care. “While we don't have anything to announce at this point, … that still remains our priority,” the spokesperson said, describing the situation on the ground as fluid and subject to rapid change. Reporters asked whether the U.S. would expand its role in funding humanitarian operations; the spokesperson declined to preview any presidential decisions and said that recommendations from on-the-ground visits will be reported back to the president.

Reporters pressed on the role of the international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, in accessing hostages and providing medical care; the spokesperson declined to comment on specific actions by the Red Cross but said the U.S. expects Turkish and Israeli counterparts and other involved parties to cooperate on access and investigations where relevant.

Discussion only: reporters raised multiple hypothetical scenarios about Israeli reoccupation of Gaza and whether U.S. policy would support or oppose such plans; the spokesperson repeatedly declined to comment on unannounced foreign-government plans and said those are questions for the government making the plans or for the White House. Direction/assignment: the spokesperson said questions taken for follow-up would be returned to reporters after internal coordination. No formal policy change or new program was announced at the briefing.

The briefing reiterated that humanitarian aid has been central to U.S. action on the crisis and that assessments from envoys on the ground will inform any further decisions the president or the secretary of state may make.