In an interview with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, on November 5, 2023, he discussed the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Ambassador Herzog explained that Gaza is a major terror complex with tens of thousands of armed terrorists, rockets, and tunnels. He emphasized the need to uproot this terror machine to prevent future attacks. The operation is being carried out by ground forces, and there is no set timeframe for its completion. The Israeli military aims to dismantle Hamas and ensure they are unable to strike again.

Margaret Brennan also questioned Herzog about the current negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Herzog expressed that they were making every effort to secure their release but doubted Hamas's seriousness in the matter. He believed that Hamas was using the negotiations as a tactic to stop Israeli military efforts and rearm themselves. Herzog emphasized that the Israeli government was fully committed to bringing back the hostages, especially since most of them are Israelis.

Another topic of discussion was the civilian casualties in Gaza. Herzog stated that Israel is making every effort to distinguish between terrorists and civilians. They have called on the civilian population to move to the south to keep them out of harm's way. However, Hamas is deliberately keeping them in harm's way and even sent civilians to face Israeli forces. Herzog cautioned against relying on casualty numbers, as it is difficult to determine how many of them are armed terrorists.

In a separate interview with White House Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, he provided updates on the efforts to evacuate American citizens from Gaza. Finer stated that more than 300 Americans had been evacuated, but there were still some remaining. The negotiations for the release of hostages were ongoing, with hopes of securing their freedom. Finer mentioned that a pause in the fighting could be considered if a hostage agreement was reached.

Regarding concerns about civilian casualties, Finer acknowledged that Hamas's use of human shields was monstrous. He emphasized that while Hamas's actions raised the burden on the Israeli military, it did not diminish their obligation to distinguish between civilians and fighters. He assured that the U.S. had raised this issue directly with the Israeli government and would continue to do so.

When asked about setting conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel, Finer stated that they had laws in place to ensure the proper use of security assistance. They would raise any concerns directly with the Israeli government if they felt events warranted it.

In terms of when the conflict would stop, Finer explained that Israel continued to face a significant threat from Hamas. He noted that Hamas had expressed their intention to conduct similar attacks in the future. Therefore, the threat had not been eliminated, and Israel had to ensure its security.

Overall, the interviews highlighted the complexity and challenges of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Israeli government is focused on dismantling Hamas and preventing future attacks, while also working towards the release of hostages. The U.S. is actively involved in evacuation efforts and negotiations for the hostages' freedom, while also addressing concerns about civilian casualties and the use of U.S. military aid.