"I think it's going to be very hard to put a ceasefire back together again if Israelis and the international community can't feel confident that Hamas can follow through on a ceasefire commitment," he told reporters.
Obama said the United States "unequivocally condemned Hamas and the Palestinian factions that were responsible for killing two Israeli soldiers, and abducting a third almost minutes after a ceasefire had been announced."
He was speaking after a humanitarian truce in Gaza collapsed only hours after it began Friday amid a deadly new wave of violence and the apparent capture by Hamas of an Israeli soldier.
"I want to make sure that they are listening," Obama said, addressing Hamas.
"If they are serious about trying to trying to resolve this situation, that soldier needs to be unconditionally released, as soon as possible."
But the US leader added: "We have also been clear that innocent civilians in Gaza caught in the crossfire have to weigh on our conscience and we have to do more to protect them."
Washington was going to keep working for a ceasefire, Obama said, praising the efforts of his secretary of state, John Kerry, who "has been persistent, he has worked very hard."
"He has endured on many occasions really unfair criticism. Simply to try to get to the point where the killing stops," Obama said.
And he insisted it was "not particularly relevant" whether Hamas or another group was behind the reported kidnapping of the Israeli soldier.
"The point is, when they sign on to a ceasefire, they're claiming to speak for all the Palestinian factions. And if they don't have control of them, and just moments after a ceasefire is signed, you have Israeli soldiers being killed and captured, then it's hard for the Israelis to feel confident that a ceasefire can actually honored."
After 9/11 'we tortured some folks'
President Obama admitted Friday that US officials had "tortured some folks" in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, but urged they not be judged too harshly.
The US administration is expected to release a declassified Senate report in the next few days that will detail alleged abuses by intelligence agents targeting extremist groups in the wake of the attacks.
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The President who admits today publicly that America has tortured its prisoners which it kidnapped from foreign countries, (after the European court of Justice has indicted Poland this week for facilitating the tortures) but still keeps them in Guatanimo prison, expect from Hamas Resistance as the obstacle for Truce. Hams does not want truce but lifting of siege on Gaza and the end of occupation. Stop sending the yo yo salesman to the middle east!!!
Rex Minor
@unbelievable: Before the election in Palestine, Hamas was not a terrorist, soon after being elected by majority, they were stamped as terrorist....? Before that Yaser Arafat Party was always being elected, after the death of Yaser Arafat, Abu Abbas and party was not strong enough to make any substantial agreement with the Israelis and the Israel went on with illegal settlement and occupation, blocked of West Bank and Gaza....this forced the Palestinians to elect Hamas and soon were declared as terrorist organization by USA and the Western countries....is it too much to demand return of their legitimate land and unblockage of border, open sea route etc; is it human to live like a pack of sardines in an open prison...1.8 million people living in an enclave surrounded from all side by one of the most powerful enemy in the region....how will you feel if any outsider enters your home and kick you and your family out and when you demand return your home, he fires at you and your family.what will be your response " unbelievable "......
If Obama has any bit of shame left then he should first ask Israel to bring back to life 1300 innocent Palestinians that it killed during last few days before having audacity to ask for return and release of missing Israeli soldier back from Hamas(i.e. if they have captured him in first place) . Obama is worried about 1 Israeli soldier but he didn't moved an inch when Isreal committed genocide and 1300 Palestinians were mercilessly butchered.
Its a shame that western world calls itself civilized !!
Gaza seems to have become an ego issue for Hamas . I doubt if they truly care about the inhabitants - original or migrants .
One of the downsides of electing a terrorist organization ... outside of Palestine there is almost no one who will recognize/believe anything they say. The few that do are more anti Israel than pro Hamas. Something the pro Taliban supporters should contemplate.
So much pain for Israeli soldier. How many Palestinian civilians have been killed just today? No pains on the killings of more than a thousand civilians mostly women and children. The great majority of Palestinians killed are civilians while mostly Israeli soldiers are killed.
I think Obama's has a headache. He's been siting on his head for too long. Otherwise why would he make nonsensical statements like these.
Israel cannot be trusted. There is the history that is narrated form the perspective of the perpetrators (Israel and India) and then there is the silent unspoken history of the victims (Palestinians and Kashmiris). The silent history touches the souls of humanity across the world because it is the truth. The perpetrators and their advocates repeat their lies until they themselves start to believe in them and eventually become a part of them. This is what has happened to Obama