Gaza Humanitarian Issues Will Be a Top Priority for Blinken, Says White House’s Sullivan – Reuters

Humanitarian Efforts in Gaza a Priority for U.S. Secretary of State

Washington – Humanitarian concerns in Gaza will be a key focus for U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his upcoming trip to the Middle East, as stated by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday.

Blinken is set to visit several countries in the region this week, including Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the West Bank. A significant aim of his visit is to coordinate humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza, who are experiencing critical challenges following months of military actions from Israel in response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

"The needs of the Palestinian people are going to be front and center," Sullivan remarked during an appearance on a CBS program.

The United States views it as essential to negotiate the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its assault, including American citizens, along with establishing a humanitarian pause.

"This is in the national security interest of the United States. We are going to press for it relentlessly," Sullivan emphasized, highlighting the importance of these negotiations. "This is a paramount priority for us."

Sullivan indicated that the responsibility lies with Hamas regarding such deals, noting that Israel has already made proposals.