The US State Department has declined to comment on remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who said the United States is no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state.

"I'm not going to characterise the ambassador's remarks. I'm not going to explain them or really comment on them at all. I think he certainly speaks for himself," spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

Asked whether Huckabee was speaking on his own or if his comments reflected a shift in the Trump administration’s policy, Bruce suggested the reporter ask the White House.

"I'm not going to parse the ambassador's remarks... I'm also not going to speak about the nature of what people say that he was claiming or not claiming. I’m not going to have a speculative conversation about that right now," she said.

“When it comes to American policy and certainly where the President stands, I’d suggest you call the White House.”

During an interview with Bloomberg News, Huckabee was asked whether a Palestinian state remains a goal of US policy. He replied: "I don’t think so."

"Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it," Bloomberg quoted him as saying.

Turning to a question about the five countries — Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the UK — that sanctioned Israeli Cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Bruce said the US finds the move "extremely unhelpful."

"It will do nothing to get us closer to a ceasefire in Gaza," she said, adding that these countries should focus on the "real culprit" — the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

"We remain concerned about any step that would further isolate Israel from the international community. If our allies want to help, they should focus on supporting Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's negotiations and backing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation when it comes to food and aid," she added.

Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a genocidal offensive in besieged Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 55,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Aid agencies have warned of the risk of famine among the enclave's more than two million inhabitants.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.