Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good afternoon, everyone. This is now my ninth trip to the region since October 7th, and President Biden asked me to come back on this trip with two main goals in mind. The first is to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to Israel's security, and that's a commitment that we've put into practice virtually every day since October 7th, including when Israel was attacked directly by Iran back in April.

In recent weeks, given the heightened tensions, we have deployed additional assets to the region. The purpose of the deployment of these assets is not to provoke aggression but rather to deter, to make sure that it doesn't happen, but also to make clear that if it does, we are fully prepared to defend Israel.

We've coupled this effort with an intense diplomatic campaign, virtually a global diplomatic campaign, working with countries around the world to send the message strongly to every concerned party not to take any steps that would escalate tensions, that would risk provoking a wider conflict. And this too has been something we've been working on from day one, since October 7th. It's been one of our primary objectives to prevent the conflict from escalating, from spreading to other places.

And so this coupling of our military commitments, our security commitments, with an intense diplomatic campaign is something that I'm pursuing on this trip, again, with the intent of making sure that we deter further conflict, but that we're also clearly prepared to defend against it if it comes. But what's most crucial now is that everyone - everyone - refrain from taking any actions that could fuel further conflict, escalate tensions, and result in the spreading of violence and conflict.

Second purpose was to further the intense efforts we're engaged in across our government to bring an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages across the finish line. That is the single best way, obviously, to get hostages home, to get an enduring ceasefire that also reflects Israel's security interests, to relieve the terrible daily suffering of Gazans - men, women, and children desperate for food to eat, for shelter, and for staying out of harm's way.

Back in May, President Biden put before the world a detailed proposed agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, and the entire world rallied behind it. Country after country came out in support of that agreement, the United Nations Security Council voted 14 to nothing in support of the agreement, and the heart of it is incorporated into a UN Security Council resolution.

Just last week, the President put forward a proposal with Qatar and with Egypt to try to bridge the gaps that remain between the parties so that we could get agreement to what the President put out there a couple of months ago. In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal, that he supports it. It's now incumbent on Hamas to do the same. And then the parties, with the help of the mediators - the United States, Egypt, and Qatar - have to come together and complete the process of reaching clear understandings about how they'll implement the commitments that they've made under this agreement. But the next important step is for Hamas to say yes and then, in the coming days, for all of the expert negotiators to get together to work on clear understandings on implementing the agreement.

These are still complex issues, and they're going to require hard decisions by the leaders. Ultimately it comes down to those decisions, but there is, I think, a real sense of urgency here, across the region, on the need to get this over the finish line and to do it as soon as possible. The United States is deeply committed to getting this job done, to getting it done now.

From here I'm going on to Egypt and Qatar, and these are our two critical partners in this effort to get the ceasefire agreement over the finish line, to get the hostages home, to put everyone on a better path to lasting peace and security. And so I look forward to consulting with President Sisi, with the Amir Sheikh Tamim, with other critical colleagues in both countries, on the immediate steps ahead, and in particular, what needs to be done to ensure that Hamas comes along, agrees to the bridging proposal, and that everyone then works on finalizing a clear understanding of their commitments to implement the agreement.

That's where we are, and again, I'd just say that for us, for President Biden, there's a deep sense of urgency in getting this done. And I also hear that throughout this country as well as throughout the region. It's the single best way not only to get the hostages home, to ease the suffering of people in Gaza; it's also the best way to make sure that conflict doesn't spread, that we don't see escalation, that we can actually defuse some of the pressure points that we see throughout the region, and then open prospects for trying to build a more enduring peace and security for everyone throughout the Middle East.

Happy to take some questions.

MR PATEL: Humeyra, go ahead.

QUESTION: Hello, Mr. Secretary. Just a few questions with the new information that you've just given us about Prime Minister Netanyahu accepting the bridging proposal. I just want to be very clear; there has been a longstanding disagreement between Hamas and Israel about permanent ceasefire versus temporary ceasefire. Could you confirm if prime minister has accepted the permanent ceasefire, which was what Hamas wanted? Did the prime minister assure you that Israel is not going to add further demands to the current framework in the coming days? And are you more hopeful now after having this meeting with him? And one final thing. In your comments this morning, you said - you referred to this latest round of talks may be the last opportunity for a deal. Why did you say that now? Does that mean if this one fails, the United States is going to give up on the ceasefire talks? Thank you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, to take the last part of the question first, no, we're never - we're never giving up, but what we know is this. With every passing day that there's not an agreement, two things can happen: One is, of course, more hostages can perish; and second, intervening events come along that may make things even more difficult if not impossible. And we've experienced that throughout this process. So there's a - the fierce urgency of now, that's what, I think, we're all feeling. And we do see this as the best opportunity to finally get this over the finish line. We'll never give up on it, but the challenge is the longer this goes on, the more, again, hostages will suffer - possibly perish - and the more other things happen that could make things impossible. So that's why we're so intensely focused on getting this done and getting it done now.

On the first part of the question, the bridging proposal that Prime Minister Netanyahu has accepted and we look to Hamas to accept reflects what is in the ceasefire agreement that President Biden put before the world back in May, that's incorporated into a UN Security Council resolution, and that makes clear that this process will proceed in phases: a first initial ceasefire over the course of six weeks in which hostages are released, prisoners are exchanged, and negotiations commence on the conditions necessary for an enduring ceasefire. That's what the - that's what the deal says. That's what's reflected in what was put before the world and the world endorsed, the Security Council endorsed. And the bridging proposal was to try to close some gaps or to clarify different parts of this agreement that needed clarification.

Now, what the challenge - what the challenge is, besides Hamas agreeing to the bridging proposal, is to make sure that there are clear understandings on how the different parties are going to make good on their commitments, how they're actually going to implement this agreement. And that's what is so necessary and is - I don't want at all to minimize the challenge. These are complex issues, but it's also why we have expert negotiators who are working on this.

I should have mentioned as well, Prime Minister Netanyahu committed to sending his senior expert team back to either Doha or to Egypt to try to complete this process. But we look to Hamas, first and foremost, to get behind the bridging proposal and then to join everyone in trying to get a clear understanding on how the commitments will be implemented.

MR PATEL: Channel 12.

QUESTION: Thank you. Secretary Blinken, thank you. Let's talk about Hamas. You've just mentioned them. So you've put a - the final proposal in Doha on Friday. Israel has accepted this; Hamas has declined. Is there a real way to move forward? What is your message to Hamas? And if I may ask you, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said he is insist on Israeli presence of the Philadelphi Corridor. Is it an obstacle to reach an agreement, and what have you told him when you both - you met earlier today? Thank you.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: So what I would say to Hamas and to its leadership is if it genuinely cares about the Palestinian people that it purports to somehow represent, then it will say yes to this agreement and it will work on clear understandings about how to implement it. Because the single, quickest, best, most effective way to relieve the terrible suffering of the Palestinians that was instigated by Hamas's attack on October 7th and the war that ensued is to complete this agreement. So that's really the question. Is Hamas, is its leadership actually looking out for Palestinian children, women, and men who are suffering at this very moment in Gaza? And if it is, it will agree. And then we'll work on making sure that there's clarity on all sides about how the agreement will be implemented, how they're going to make good on their commitments, because not everything is spelled out in detail in the agreement. And I can't comment on specific issues that remain, but as I said, there are questions of implementation and making sure that it's clearly understood what each side will do to carry out its commitments. That's the next step, assuming Hamas agrees to the bridging proposal.

MR PATEL: Jenny, go ahead.

QUESTION: Thanks, Mr. Secretary. Following up on my colleague's question, yes or no: Have you gotten any indications from Hamas since the talks wrapped last week that they recognize the urgency of the deal on the table and that this could be the last chance? And in your meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, did you raise the escalating settler violence that we're seeing in the West Bank? The EU has suggested they would be open to sanctioning sitting Israeli officials. Is the U.S. open to doing the same?

And then if I may, I'd be remiss not to talk about the humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza. I know you say a ceasefire is the best way to bring that to an end. But in the time that these - the war and the negotiations have been going on, officials in the Gaza Strip say 40,000 people have died. Polio has now re-emerged. It's been gone for over two decades. What is the U.S. prepared to do to ensure that the humanitarian situation is alleviated in the time that the negotiations are still going on?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: So let me take the last part first because I spent some time today on - as I always do - on the humanitarian situation, both specifically, for example, about polio because we very much share the concern about the possibility of its re-emergence, and we've been working on a detailed plan to make sure that those who need to be vaccinated against it can get vaccinated, and we're working with the Israeli Government on that. And I believe that we'll be able to move forward with a plan to do that in the coming weeks. It is urgent; it is vital.

More broadly, there are very, very important issues that continue to need to be resolved in order for people to get the assistance they desperately need, whether it's - whether it's food, whether it's medicine, whether it's appropriate shelter, whether it's dealing with things like treating the sewage that's accumulated throughout Gaza and that promotes an acute - that presents an acute health hazard, that's an incubator for disease. All of that was very much on my agenda today. I had a detailed discussion with the defense minister, with the head of the military on steps that need to be taken - must be taken - to continue to try to improve the situation for Palestinians in Gaza.

Now, again, the quickest way to do that in the most robust way possible would be through the ceasefire, because that opens up much more space to surge assistance into people and then to build something that's genuinely sustainable. But even in the absence of a ceasefire, this is an absolute imperative.

In terms of what we've heard from Hamas - so obviously we don't hear directly from Hamas, but both Egypt and Qatar are in contact with Hamas. And look, I don't want to go beyond anything we've already said except to say that tomorrow, when I see the leaders of both Egypt and Qatar, I'll get the latest from them on what they are hearing. And I can't speculate on exactly what Hamas's intentions are. We've seen public statements, but we've seen public statements before where - that don't fully reflect where the - where Hamas is.

As I said, the critical next step is for Hamas to accept the bridging proposal that Israel - Prime Minister Netanyahu has now accepted, and then to engage with everyone else on making sure that we have clear understandings of how each party would actually implement the commitments that it's undertaken in this agreement. So probably more tomorrow after we talk to our friends in Egypt and Qatar.

And I'm sorry, there was a third part to -

QUESTION: The settler violence. Did this come up in your meeting, and are you prepared to sanction sitting officials?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Oh, yes it did. It did. And this has been also something that's been a deep and ongoing concern for us - violence, intimidation as well, of the Palestinian community in the West Bank. There was an incident, as you know, just a few days ago that I think has galvanized attention from the Israeli Government, and that that is critical, and we look to see action taken - action taken to prevent this kind of violence, action taken to hold people who - responsible for it accountable, and we're looking to the government to take the necessary steps to stop the violence and to make sure that there is real deterrence in place so that it doesn't happen again.

MR PATEL: Thanks, everybody.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Thanks, everyone.

QUESTION: Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Thank you.

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