President Obama has vowed a renewed push to shut down the military prison at Guantánamo Bay more than four years after first pledging its closure. Speaking at a White House news conference, Obama called the indefinite imprisonment of more than 100 people unsustainable but defended the ongoing force-feeding of those on a hunger strike to win their freedom.

President Obama: “The idea that we would still maintain forever a group of individuals who have not been tried, that is contrary to who we are, it is contrary to our interests, and it needs to stop. I’m going to go back at it, because I think it’s important.”

Reporter: “Are you going to continue to force-feed these folks at Guantánamo?”

President Obama: “Well, I don’t want these individuals to die. Obviously the Pentagon is trying manage the situation as best as they can. But I think all of us should reflect on why exactly are we doing this. Why are we doing this?”

In a statement, a group representing Guantánamo Bay prisoners welcomed Obama’s closure pledge but urged him to take immediate action. The Center for Constitutional Rights says Obama should immediately release 86 people already cleared for transfer and lift his self-imposed moratorium on returning Yemeni nationals to their home country.