President Donald Trump's administration did not comment on reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu favored a complete takeover of the Gaza Strip, but described the goals that the next stage of the war should accomplish.
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During a briefing on Tuesday afternoon in Washington, Tammy Bruce, a spokeswoman for the State Department, faced reporters' questions about whether or not the U.S. supported a full Israeli occupation of Gaza.
"We do remain focused on freeing the hostages, including the remains of two Americans and ensuring that Hamas never rules Gaza again," Bruce said.
When asked about Khamis Ayyad , a Palestinian-American father with ties to Illinois who died Thursday in the West Bank, Bruce said the U.S. has called upon Israel to investigate the case.