US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has just finished his visit to China and embarked on a trip to the Middle East, currently touring Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel. The core objective of his mission remains to facilitate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, ending the nearly 7-month-long conflict, averting its spread in the Middle East region, while also focusing on humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Blinken stated on Monday (April 29) that Israel must take more measures to increase humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. He also mentioned exerting pressure on Israeli leaders during his current Middle East trip.
Currently in Saudi Arabia for his visit, this marks his seventh visit to the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October.
Speaking at an event in Riyadh, Blinken emphasized that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is to reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and release the Israeli hostages held by them. He mentioned that Israel has proposed an “unusually generous” offer to Hamas, hoping for their acceptance.
Blinken addressed a World Economic Forum meeting in the Saudi capital, saying, “An exceptionally, exceptionally generous proposal from the Israeli side has been put in front of Hamas, and right now, the only obstacle to the people of Gaza getting the ceasefire they need is Hamas.”
He stressed, “They [referring to Hamas] have decisions to make, and they need to make them fast, and we look forward to them making the right decisions for us to fundamentally change the dynamic.”
While negotiations are ongoing, Hamas has so far rejected a series of proposals negotiated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States and agreed upon by Israel.
Blinken’s visit comes at a time when concerns rise once more about the Israel-Hamas conflict spreading. Israel recently rejected one of Saudi’s conditions for normalizing its relationship with Israel: the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Over the past months, the goal of reaching a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel has been paused due to the Gaza conflict.
Blinken stated that during his visit, he will emphasize that the Israel-Hamas conflict must not engulf the entire region.
He emphasized that even without an agreement, it is crucial to improve the situation in Gaza now.
Speaking earlier to Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers on Monday, Blinken said, “We can’t wait until after a ceasefire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza.”
He added, “In recent weeks, we’ve seen measurable progress, including opening new crossings, increasing the amount of aid being delivered to Gaza and the Gaza periphery, constructing an American maritime corridor to open in the coming weeks. But it’s not enough; we must still do more to provide aid to Gaza and its surrounding areas.”
“We must enhance coordination with humanitarian aides, mitigate conflicts; efficiency must be raised, and security must be strengthened; that’s at the core,” he stated.
He continued, “We must ensure that what we focus on is not just the inputs, but the impact.”
Since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7 last year, the Israel-Hamas war has been persistent, with no visible end in sight, over 34,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, tens of thousands have been displaced, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deteriorating.
Several aid workers have tragically lost their lives, and this month, the World Central Kitchen’s aid convoy in Gaza was mistakenly attacked, leading to disciplinary action by Israel against the officials involved.
The World Central Kitchen stated that after a four-week suspension, they will resume their humanitarian aid operations in Gaza on Monday.
Generally, supporting Israel has been a longstanding policy of successive US governments.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is committed to preventing an escalation of the conflict, continuously warning Israel against launching large-scale military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. While Israel has not initiated any offensive, Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly stated intentions to attack Rafah, claiming it is the only way to eliminate Hamas.
According to the White House and US officials, Biden and Netanyahu discussed this issue during a phone call on Sunday.
Blinken is expected to convene Arab and European countries to discuss how Europe can assist in rebuilding Gaza following the six-month-long Israel-Hamas war.