U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointed out that "the United States stands with Israel to ensure that events like those on October 7 do not happen again." He stated, "We are doing everything we can to stop the humanitarian suffering in Gaza and prevent the escalation of conflict," highlighting the need for U.S. leadership to address humanitarian crises in Gaza and elsewhere in the world.
Blinken added, "The fastest way to stop the war in Gaza is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its weapons, and release the hostages." He noted that “the wrong decision by the International Criminal Court undermines our efforts to end the conflict in Gaza," asserting that the efforts being made to reach a ceasefire and free the hostages are the best and most effective way to move forward. He continued, "Intensive efforts have been made in recent months with the participation of Qatar and Egypt to reach an agreement, and I believe that is still ongoing."
