Blinken says Israel still must do more to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his Middle East trip — his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October — to press that case with Israeli leaders.
Speaking at events in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive cease-fire agreement, which also would release Israeli hostages held by Hamas since its Oct. 7 attacks launched the war. Hamas has been presented with an “extraordinarily generous” offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept, he said.
“Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, and in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas,” he said at a World Economic Forum gathering in Riyadh.
“They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, we’re looking to that, and I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic,” Blinken said.
Although talks continue, Hamas has so far balked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel. Even without a deal, Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.
“We’re also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza,” Blinken told Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers earlier Monday, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first stop on his Middle East tour, which includes stops in Jordan and Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza,” he said.
