SECRETARY BLINKEN: — there is a gap between the intent – there is a gap between the intent and the results, and that’s the gap that we’re trying to make sure is closed. Look, this could be over tomorrow. This could be over tomorrow if Hamas got out of the way of civilians instead of hiding behind them, if it put down its weapons, if it surrendered. And what there ought to be as well is a call on part – on behalf of the entire world for Hamas to do just that. That would stop this tomorrow. But in the absence of that, Israel has to take steps not only to defend itself against the ongoing attacks from Hamas, but against Hamas’s stated intent to repeat October 7th again and again if given the opportunity.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We have been a strong proponent of humanitarian pauses. In fact, because of our advocacy, because of the work we did, we got pauses, we got pauses on a daily basis, to make sure that people could get out of the way, that humanitarian supplies could get in. We helped negotiate the longer pause that resulted in the release of more than 110 hostages and that also allowed a doubling of humanitarian assistance that was getting into Gaza. But when it comes to a ceasefire in this moment, with Hamas still alive, still intact – and again, with the stated intent of repeating October 7th again and again and again – that would simply perpetuate the problem.
And so our focus is on trying to make sure that civilians are protected to the maximum extent possible, that humanitarian assistance gets in to the maximum extent possible. And again, if Hamas were to put down its weapons tomorrow, surrender tomorrow, this would be over tomorrow.
https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-with-martha-raddatz-of-abc-this-week-3/
Secretary Blinken replied:
First of all, Senator, I fully agree with you, that no country could tolerate what Israel suffered on October 7… And as we know, it wasn’t just the attack itself, and the vulnerability that it revealed, it was the nature of the attack; with young people chased down and gunned down at a at a dance party; with, as you said, children executed in front of their parents; parents executed in front of their children; families, in a final embrace, burned alive; people beheaded. I could go on. You’ve seen the pictures. You’ve seen the video.
I’ve heard from many eyewitnesses to these atrocities, including… a family of four, a young boy and girl, six and eight years old, and their parents, around the breakfast table. The father, his eye gouged out in front of his kids. The mother’s breast cut off. The girl’s foot, amputated. The boy’s fingers cut off, before they were executed. And then their executioners sat down and had a meal. That’s what this society is dealing with, and no nation could tolerate that.
And as we’ve said repeatedly, as President Biden has repeatedly made clear, Israel has not only the right, but the obligation to defend itself, and to try to take every possible step to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We’ve been equally clear, that it is vitally important how Israel does this. And the imperative of doing everything possible to protect civilians, as well as to care for those who are endangered by the conflict, is something that we feel strongly.
When it comes to a ceasefire, in this moment, you’re exactly right. That would simply consolidate what Hamas has been able to do, and allow it to remain where it is and potentially repeat what it did another day…
Waiting for Winkin and Nod to comment.