Antony Blinken

Third, we wanted to make sure, to the best of our ability, that the children, the women, the men in Gaza who were caught in a crossfire of Hamas's initiation, that they did nothing to start and were basically powerless to stop, were as protected as possible and got the assistance they needed to survive this horrific conflict. And we've been working on each of those fronts every day since.

When it comes to making sure that October 7th can't happen again, I think we're in a good place. Israel has destroyed Hamas's military capabilities. It's eliminated the leadership that was responsible for October 7th. And that in and of itself should be reason to find an off ramp in Gaza.

When it comes to making sure that October 7th can't happen again, I think we're in a good place. Israel has destroyed Hamas's military capabilities. It's eliminated the leadership that was responsible for October 7th. And that in and of itself should be reason to find an off ramp in Gaza.

I don't need to tell you that. No one needs to remind me of the suffering because it's something that drives me every single day. It's exactly why. We've done everything in our power to find a way to get an end to the conflict through getting the hostages back and getting a ceasefire. I've been to the region a dozen times with that in mind.

I don't need to tell you that. No one needs to remind me of the suffering because it's something that drives me every single day. It's exactly why. We've done everything in our power to find a way to get an end to the conflict through getting the hostages back and getting a ceasefire. I've been to the region a dozen times with that in mind.

We, as you know, have looked and continue to look at that in depth. And we put out our own reports on this with our own assessments. And when it comes to the actions that Israel has taken in its defense, in its just defense, in trying to make sure that October 7th never happens again, we've said from day one that how Israel does that matters.

We, as you know, have looked and continue to look at that in depth. And we put out our own reports on this with our own assessments. And when it comes to the actions that Israel has taken in its defense, in its just defense, in trying to make sure that October 7th never happens again, we've said from day one that how Israel does that matters.

And throughout, starting on day one, we've tried to ensure that people had what they needed to get by. The very first trip that I made to Israel, five days after October 7th,

And throughout, starting on day one, we've tried to ensure that people had what they needed to get by. The very first trip that I made to Israel, five days after October 7th,

I spent with my team nine hours in the Kirya, the IDF's headquarters in Tel Aviv, six stories underground with the Israeli government, including the prime minister, including arguing for hours on end about the basic proposition that the humanitarian assistance needed to get to Palestinians in Gaza.

I spent with my team nine hours in the Kirya, the IDF's headquarters in Tel Aviv, six stories underground with the Israeli government, including the prime minister, including arguing for hours on end about the basic proposition that the humanitarian assistance needed to get to Palestinians in Gaza.

And that was an argument that took place because you had in Israel in the days after October 7th, a totally traumatized society. And public opinion, this wasn't just the prime minister or a given leader in Israel. This was an entire society that didn't want any assistance getting to a single Palestinian in Gaza. I argued that for nine hours.

And that was an argument that took place because you had in Israel in the days after October 7th, a totally traumatized society. And public opinion, this wasn't just the prime minister or a given leader in Israel. This was an entire society that didn't want any assistance getting to a single Palestinian in Gaza. I argued that for nine hours.

President Biden was planning to come to Israel a few days later. And in the course of that argument, when I was getting resistance to the proposition of humanitarian assistance getting in, I told the prime minister, I'm going to call the president and tell him not to come. if you don't allow this assistance to start flowing.

President Biden was planning to come to Israel a few days later. And in the course of that argument, when I was getting resistance to the proposition of humanitarian assistance getting in, I told the prime minister, I'm going to call the president and tell him not to come. if you don't allow this assistance to start flowing.

And I called the president to make sure that he agreed with that, and he fully did. Anyway, we got the agreement to begin assistance through RAFA, which we expanded to Kerem Shalom, to many other places. I say this by way of saying that we've tried all along to look out for the needs of so many people who've been caught in this horrific crossfire.

And I called the president to make sure that he agreed with that, and he fully did. Anyway, we got the agreement to begin assistance through RAFA, which we expanded to Kerem Shalom, to many other places. I say this by way of saying that we've tried all along to look out for the needs of so many people who've been caught in this horrific crossfire.

And we have a traumatized Palestinian population for obvious reasons. I've met with Palestinian Americans who've lost loved ones in Gaza. I have with me still a little brochure that one fellow American made that has pictures of his family in Gaza. On one side, the left side, those who were killed, including children. And on the right side, those who are still alive.

And we have a traumatized Palestinian population for obvious reasons. I've met with Palestinian Americans who've lost loved ones in Gaza. I have with me still a little brochure that one fellow American made that has pictures of his family in Gaza. On one side, the left side, those who were killed, including children. And on the right side, those who are still alive.

And that motivates me as well every single day to try to find a better way forward. Now, Israel is operating in a unique environment, which doesn't absolve it of its responsibilities, but- They met those responsibilities. And when it comes, for example, to the provision of humanitarian assistance, we've found periods of time where, no, we didn't think they were doing enough.