Secretary Blinken: Now is the time to end the war, get the hostages home & chart a new path forward

Secretary Blinken in remarks to the press during travel to the Middle East from October 21 - 25, 2024:

Since October 7th, Israel has achieved important strategic objectives to ensure that October 7th can never happen again. Israel has dismantled Hamas’ military capacity, destroyed much of its arsenal, and eliminated its senior leadership. Now is the time to turn those strategic anchievement into an enduring strategic success.

During my meetings with officials in Israel, we spoke about how there are two main things left to do: get the hostages home and bring the war to an end with an understanding of what will follow. As I continue my travel in the region and Europe, I am focused on working with our partners to achieve these objectives and identify a common vision for a path forward.

As discussions continue, it’s also essential that humanitarian assistance reaches the people who need it in Gaza. While Israel has made progress in recent weeks in improving access to humanitarian assistance, much more is immediately needed. The United States will continue to ensure that Israel sustains these humanitarian commitments.

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The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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