With the Israel-Hamas war escalating, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday wrapped up a full day of meetings with leaders in the Middle East as the U.S. looks to keep the conflict from spreading and bring home the Americans who remain missing.
In a press conference with the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani after their meeting, Blinken reiterated what he, other top U.S. officials and President Joe Biden himself have been emphasizing all week: The United States’ support for Israel is unwavering and the country “has the obligation to defend its people.”
But with Israel expected to launch a ground invasion into Gaza, the secretary also put new focus on getting humanitarian aid to civilians in the region, bringing up the idea of establishing “safe areas.”
“We need to ensure, for example, that there are safe areas in Gaza for civilians. We’re working through the details on that, and more to be said in the days ahead, but that’s a priority for us,” Blinken said. “We’re discussing this with the Israeli Government, we’re discussing it with others in the region.”
Israel on Friday warned civilians in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to move to the southern part ahead of a potential ground incursion.
“Efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza are complicated by the fact that Hamas continues to use innocent civilians as human shields, and is reportedly blocking roads to prevent Palestinians from moving to southern Gaza, out of harm’s way,” Blinken said. “We know the humanitarian situation is urgent. We’re actively engaged with partners, including Qatar, to get aid to those who need it.”
With 14 Americans still missing amid the war as of Friday, Blinken also underscored Qatar’s role in efforts to get those being held hostage by Hamas to safety.
“We’re also working intensively together to secure the release of hostages, including American citizens being held by Hamas in Gaza,” Blinken said. "I’m grateful for the urgency that Qatar is bringing to this effort."
President Biden earlier this week noted he could not share the strategy to get any potential American hostages home as it would hinder the U.S.’s ability to do so. But National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters the U.S. was “casting a wide net,” and looking for help from allies and partners in the region – specifically noting Qatar.
“And there are some countries, like Qatar, that have open lines of communication with Hamas,” Kirby said.
The secretary’s meeting with the Qatari prime minister came just one day after multiple outlets reported the U.S. and Qatar planned to block Iran’s access to $6 billion of its own funds. The money was recently transferred to a bank in Qatar to be used by Iran for humanitarian purposes as part of a deal to release five imprisoned Americans.
Following Saturday’s attack by Hamas – which has long been tied to Iran – many Republicans and some Democrats in Congress called on the Biden administration to ensure Tehran cannot access the funds.
Administration officials have emphasized that thus far, none of the money has been spent and if it was, it could only be used for humanitarian purposes. But neither Blinken nor Kirby this week would directly say whether the U.S. and Qatar made a deal to deny Iran access.
On Friday, Blinken also met with Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan as well as Bahraini Prime Minister Crown Prince Salman bin Hamed Al Khalifa in Bahrain.
In a readout of the meeting with President Abbas, State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken “reiterated the United States’ unequivocal condemnation of the abhorrent terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel,” while also extending “condolences to the families of Palestinian civilian victims of this conflict.”
Blinken, according to the readout, thanked President Abbas for his “work to further calm the situation” for civilians in the region, including the “tens of thousands of Americans who also call the West Bank home.”
The Palestinian Authority partially manages the West Bank and is dominated by the political movement Fatah – a rival of Hamas. Hamas controls Gaza.
Blinken’s first stop on the trip was Tel Aviv, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The secretary is scheduled to continue his tour of the Middle East on Saturday.