Netanyahu: Israel Will Not Agree To A Ceasefire

Wires carrying comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that, "Israel will not agree to a cessation of fighting with Hamas after oct. 7 attack."

• Netanyahu added: "I hope and pray that civilized nations will back this fight," and conceded that, "even the most just wars have unintended civilian casualties," as allies press Israel to do more to limit the risk to civilians.
• US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, currently speaking to reporters, has confirmed that the department had a representative in Qatar on the weekend to discuss securing the release of hostages and passage of US citizens out of Gaza.
• Miller says: "There continue to be significant hurdles to doing both," as Hamas hasn't agreed to release more hostages.
• On Friday, Al Jazeera carried a headline on potential ceasefire negotiations. On the prospect on negotiations, Miller says: "I won't speak to the details of negotiations because we don't think it's useful to do so publicly."
• US officials continue to hold off from publicly calling on Israel to agree to a temporary ceasefire. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CBS yesterday: "There are a lot of complicated realities in this. A humanitarian pause would be a good thing to get hostages out, but you can bet that Hamas will try to use that time to their advantage as well."