The Biden administration formally issued its condolences to the families of the 21 IDF soldiers who were killed Monday when an RPG struck a Merkava tank and a structure soldiers were preparing for demolition.

“It was a terrible day for the IDF yesterday,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing. “That’s an enormous amount of troops lost in one day and certainly our condolences go out to all the families and their teammates as well.”

Kirby added that “sober and serious” discussions are ongoing regarding a potential hostage deal, echoing similar statements made by US officials in recent weeks. However, he made a point to differentiate these talks from formal negotiations, noting that significant progress is needed before reaching an agreement.

When questioned about a new proposal from Israel suggesting a temporary pause of hostilities for up to two months in return for a phased release of the remaining 136 hostages, Kirby reiterated the US’s support for extended breaks in fighting. He did not, however, explicitly endorse a permanent ceasefire.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)