Blinken: We Reject Any Permanent Change to the Geographic Status of Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized on Tuesday that "the United States rejects any permanent change to the geographic status of the Gaza Strip," but he kept the door open for potential support for any "transitional arrangements" to resolve the conflict with Israel. He stated to reporters in Abuja, Nigeria: "If there is a need for transitional arrangements to make that (resolution of the conflict) possible, that is a different matter, but when it comes to the permanent status of Gaza, we have been clear and continue to be about rejecting encroachments on the territory of the Strip."