Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says possible annexation of Gaza is a decision "only the Israelis can make"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to discuss plans for the Israeli military to take control of more territory in Gaza with senior ministers later on Thursday.
"It's not our job to tell them what they should or should not do," Huckabee said. "Certainly, if they ask for wisdom, counsel, advice, I'm sure the president would offer it. But ultimately, it's the decision that the Israelis and only the Israelis can make."
When asked what advice President Trump might offer, Huckabee said: "I remember him saying that, 'I know what I would do, but I'm not sure anybody else would do it.' I think we got the inference of: It would not be good for Hamas."
The group representing families of the hostages and the missing abducted during the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack called on Israelis Wednesday to march to the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces in response to "recent statements about occupying the Gaza Strip."
"Time is running out — our loved ones can't wait any longer. We either bring them home now, or we lose them for good," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement, calling for a single deal for every remaining hostage to be released. "There are moments in history when we must stand up and do what's right — this is that moment."
Negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas broke down in recent weeks, with each side accusing the other of being responsible for the talks' failure.
"I think the negotiations have broken down completely because Hamas is not serious about negotiating," Huckabee said. "I'm not sure they ever were, but they certainly aren't anymore. Europe has given them some cover. When European leaders are putting more pressure on Israel than they are Hamas — and they're talking about people in Gaza, and they're not talking about the hostages — Hamas is celebrating, and they're realizing that, you know, they're winning the message war here."
Huckabee said he wasn't sure there was a way to revive the ceasefire negotiations.
"I think the alternative is to recognize that they understand one thing: They lose," Huckabee said. "They have to be defeated. And President Trump has repeatedly said Hamas has no future in Gaza and they can't lead it. I think that's exactly right."
Six Americans have been killed in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, allegedly by Israeli settlers, including 20-year-old Saifullah Kamel Musallet.
Huckabee said he has "asked for, and we'll continue to demand, a full-throated investigation of what happened, who did it."
He said investigators had gotten Musallet's medical records around a week ago.
"He's an American citizen. I went and visited with his family and his home - committed to the family: We will do everything we can to find out who did it," Huckabee said.
40-year-old Khamis al-Ayyad, also an American citizen, recently died after trying to put out fires set to homes and cars by Israeli settlers near his home in the West Bank, his family said.
Huckabee told CBS News the exact details of al-Ayyad's death were not yet clear.
"It's not always simple to get the full cooperation from all the authorities, because you're dealing with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities, so that's part of the challenge that we face. It takes more time than I wish it did. But we certainly are asking a lot of questions about who did this. What are the pieces of evidence? We want to be able to serve the families that, as an American citizen, that's important to us," Huckabee said.
Mr. Trump said in July that the children in Gaza "look very hungry. That's real starvation stuff," amid warnings of famine in Gaza from international humanitarian groups. Aid agencies have been calling for a surge of aid to the strip.
"I think that there are certainly people suffering in Gaza. Part of the reason is because you've had pallets and trucks for food that the U.N. won't take in — because they say they don't want military escort from the IDF — but they say it's not safe," Huckabee said. "There's not been a lack of food or even a lack of attempt. It's been an inefficient way of getting it and it's been a problem because you have a terror organization who is stealing it, looting it, and then turning around and selling it to the people who are hungry."
Desperate and starving people have been looting food trucks when they enter Gaza, but the World Food Program told CBS News there is no evidence food aid is being diverted to Hamas.
"I'm shocked they would say that," Huckabee said.
Huckabee said food distribution sites run by the controversial U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were proving effective in delivering aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and that the number of sites would be scaled up from four to 16, with the hubs potentially staying open 24 hours a day.
According to the U.N., over 1,400 people have been killed trying to get food aid in Gaza, most of them, it says, as a result of IDF fire. Nearly 900 Palestinians have been killed near GHF sites.
Throughout their months in operation, GHF sites have become flashpoints of desperation, with videos showing mass crowds of people gathering outside who have then come under fire from Israeli forces or been trampled in the resulting crush.
The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, and the GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to control crowds.
"We've had reports that there have been incidences, but forgive me if I'm a little skeptical when someone says these people are being killed at the job site," Huckabee said. "If there was some random shooting of people who were coming for food, those people would face severe consequences."
Huckabee said that what happens to Palestinians living in Gaza after the war ends "may depend on them — how many of them want to stay and rebuild their lives. We talked to some last week, and that's what they really want to do," Huckabee said.
"They know it's going to take years to rebuild their homes, their businesses, their families. They have their own vision for what that's going to look like. But there are undoubtedly many people who live there now who would love a way to leave and go somewhere else."
Huckabee said no one should be forced to leave Gaza.
"They shouldn't be forced out. Nobody should be required to leave. And it's interesting that while there have been allegations that people are going to be forced out, both the U.S. and the government of Israel has been very clear: Nobody's going to be forced out, at least not by the U.S. And Israel has said it doesn't plan to force people to leave, but it wants people to have the freedom to start over, make a new life away from Gaza and away from the horrific memories they have that were inflicted upon them."
When asked about whether he supported a two-state solution — the long-standing U.S. policy toward the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians — Huckabee said, "It's really not an ambassador's position to make the decision of what that policy would be."
"It's sort of an aspirational goal: 'We need a two-state solution'" Huckabee said. "But when you start asking people the specifics of what it looks like and where it's going to be. What are the boundaries? It's interesting that very few people have an answer for that."Haley Ott
contributed to this report.
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