Press Gaggle by President Biden and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby | Ramstein Air Base, Germany
"Hey, guys."
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"I wanted to bring you up to date. I just got off the phone with -- with Pre- --"
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"-- with President Sisi of Egypt.
When we took off, my goal was multifold, but basically to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and to get as many Americans out who wanted to get out -- could get out as possible.
And so, we got a commitment, as you know, from the -- from the Israelis, including their unanimous vote of their war cabinet and the Prime Minister.
And the second thing was that I wanted to make sure there was a vehicle, a mechanism, that this could happen quickly.
And so, I have been on the phone for the last -- I don't know. We've been on the ground a while. That's why we haven't taken off -- with El-Sisi. I don't think I was on that long. It was about probably half an hour. And both -- my team here was with me.
And he agreed that what he would do is open the gate on -- to do two things: one, let up to 20 trucks through to begin with.
Satterfield, my ambassador, is down there in -- not down there -- in Cairo now. He's going to coordinate this. He has my authority to do what is needed to get it done.
They're going to patch the road. They have to fill in potholes to get these trucks through. And that's going to occur; they expect it'll take about eight hours tomorrow. So, there may be nothing rolling through until -- what's today? I'm losing track of days. Thursday? Wednesday? Probably until Friday."
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"Yes."
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"Yes. For this purpose. For this purpose. Not to allow a lot of people out, but to open it up for this purpose."
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"For the humanit- -- for the trucks to be able to get through."
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"Well, look, what I -- you guys are such a pain in the neck. You know?"
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"But here's the deal: up to 20 trucks. This has been a very blunt negotiation I've had. And so, we want to get as many of the trucks out as possible. There's, I guess, 150 or something there. Not all of them will go the first tranche. If there's a second tranche -- see how it goes.
The commitment is: If, in fact, they cross the border, the U.N. is going to be on the other side distributing this material -- offloading it and then distributing it, which is going to take a little time to set up, probably.
But the -- the point being that if the -- if Hamas confiscates it or doesn't let it get through or just confiscates it, then it's going to end, because we're not going to be sending any humanitarian aid to Hamas if they're going to be confiscating it. That's the commitment that I've made.
And so, the bottom line is that El-Sisi deserves some real credit because he was very accommodating and, quite frankly, as everyone I've spoken to thus far since this trip began.
And I -- but the Admiral is going to stick here and (inaudible) answer any real hard questions. And I'm going to get the hell out of here before you start asking about the House of Representatives. Okay?"
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"No. Disappointed? Look, I came to get something done. I got it done. If it -- if I didn't -- if I did -- wasn't able to make it into the -- into Israel, I got it done -- I'd get it done. This is -- as you guys know, this was a -- let me choose my words here.
Not many people thought we could get this done, and not many people want to be associated with failure.
And there was, quite frankly, a -- a lengthly [sic] -- lengthy, hour or more discussion about whether to go. Because had we gone and this failed, then, you know, the United States failed, Biden's presidency fails, et cetera, which would be a legitimate criticism.
And right now, I have a very good relationship with the Jordanian king. It's close. I know him well, and -- and I also spent time on the telephone in the past with the Palestinian Authority leadership. But they're all in a tough spot --"
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"No, no, no. Just over the last 5 years -- 10 years.
And -- but they -- we're putting all of them in a tough situation if we didn't get this done. And so, it had to be, in my view, we either -- either took all the blame or -- and not have put anybody else on the spot of being put on the spot -- or get it done. And I thought it was worth taking the chance to get it done."
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"Not at all. He was completely cooperative."
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"I've had a decent relationship with him. He's got -- he's got his own problems on other issues. He's got -- his entire border is -- there's wars going on on every side of his country. And so, he was -- I've known him a while. He -- he was, fair to say, very cooperative.
I mean, there was no -- I thought I'd have to spend more time trying to convince him on the timing, but he was -- he ste- -- stepped up. And -- as did Bibi and -- and I was, as you -- well, they probably told you, I was very blunt with the Israelis.
And -- because, look, Israel has been badly victimized, but, you know, the truth is that if they have an opportunity to relieve suffering of people who are -- have nowhere to go, they're going to be -- it's what they should do. And if they don't, they'll be held accountable in ways that may be unfair, but that's what we --
And my point to everyone is: Look, if you have an opportunity to alleviate the pain, you should do it. Period. And if you don't, you're going to lose credibility worldwide. And I think everyone understands that."
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"The answer is: We're going to get people out, but I'm not going to go into any detail with you now."
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"On everything. We -- no, I was very blunt about the need to support getting humanitarian aid to Gaza -- get it to Gaza and do it quickly. And --"
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"And that --"
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"Well, don't. Okay?"
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"Not true."
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"That was never said."
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"We had a long talk about that and what alternatives there are. Our military is talking with their military about what the alternatives are, but I'm not going to go into that either."
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"Yes."
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"No."
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"But we've had a number of discussions on this. It's not -- not new. Look, I don't know what you picked up in Israel, but I got no pushback. Virtually none. Let me say it again: I got no pushback."
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"From --"
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"All the partners. Virtually none. And -- and this is -- look, it's -- at any rate.
But I'm hopeful we can get some Americans out as well of Gaza, and I'm -- hopefully, we will continue to work towards getting other Americans out through other means as well."
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"That's all personal. Look, I -- I spent an hour and a half, about, with 17 or 18 before -- I spent with them and -- I don't know how to say this.
Virtually every mass shooting, every circumstance where a large number of people have been victimized and lost, I've spoken with them. I learned a long time ago, which you've all learned in your life as well, when someone is going through something that is beyond their comprehension that they never thought they'd have to go through, if they see someone who they think understands or maybe been through something -- not the same, but similar -- it gives them some sense of hope.
And I always get criticized sometimes by my staff because when I go to these events, I stay for three or four hours and answer all their questions. But it matters. It matters a lot.
And -- and, look, I'm talking -- some of you have gone through a hell of a lot more than I've gone through and a lot more than other people have gone through, and you understand.
So, it's just -- it's just a -- people are looking for just something to grab, something that gives them some sense -- sense of hope. And that's -- if I can do a little bit of that, then it's -- you know, it's worth doing. It was done for me, so --"
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"What do you think? I'll let you answer that."
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"Do I have any what?"
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"I ache for him.
No. No. Zero. None. None."
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"Well, I can understand why, in this circumstance, they wouldn't believe. I can understand that.
And -- but I would not -- you'll notice I don't say things like that unless I have faith in the source from which I've gotten it. Our Defense Department says it's highly unlikely that it was the Israelis. It would have had a -- a different footprint. And they've intercepted some -- anyway.
They -- and so, that's why, if you notice, I didn't say it at first. I didn't -- I wanted to make sure that I knew.
And, look -- and I'm not suggesting that Hamas deliberately did it, either. It's that old thing: You've got to learn how to shoot straight. You know, and -- and it's not the first time Hamas has launched something that didn't function very well.
So, I -- I don't know all the detail, but I do know the people at the Defense Department, who I respect, and the intelligence community that I respect, and it's highly improbable that Israel did that."
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"It's been good talking to you all."
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