Asked about the Trump administration's position on Israel's withholding of food and other basic needs for Palestinians, Tammy Bruce - holding her first briefing - indicated that it's Hamas that makes conditions too dangerous for aid to be delivered.

"Aid can only be delivered in a safe framework, so as long as it is something that is unsafe or we can't guarantee the safety of something moving in, that is going to be stopped," she said. "It is not a withholding, but it certainly feels it's a reflection of the framework of the situation on the ground," she added.

"The hostages have got to be released. They need to be released now, the bodies they are holding, everything, everyone needs to be released. And without doing that, there is no path forward," she continued, indicating that the Israeli blockade is indeed being used to squeeze Hamas.