Besides pushing for a cease-fire, Mr. Blinken urged other nations to redouble their support for humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $404 million in new aid to the Palestinian people on Tuesday, as he called for other countries to back a cease-fire proposal for the Gaza Strip and redouble their aid efforts after more than eight moths of fighting in the region.
Mr. Blinken attended a conference in Jordan, dubbed “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza,“ to discuss the ongoing humanitarian concerns as Israeli forces continue to fight with Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The secretary of state said his ”primary and first message” at the Tuesday conference was to support a cease-fire plan President Joe Biden articulated on May 31.
“To every government, to every multilateral institution, to every humanitarian organization that wants to relieve the massive suffering in Gaza: Get Hamas to take the deal. Press them publicly. Press them privately,” Mr. Blinken said.
Beyond the push for a cease-fire, Mr. Blinken urged other nations to redouble their support for humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.
“Every country can help fill this gap, yet some who’ve expressed great concern over the suffering of Palestinian people in Gaza—including countries with the capacity to give a lot—have provided very little or nothing at all. It is time for everyone, everyone, to step up. And for those who have already given and given generously, give more.”
Mr. Blinken said the United States has for decades been the largest single-country provider of assistance for Palestinians.
“Today, I’m announcing an additional $404 million in new aid to Palestinians in addition to the more than $1.8 billion in development, economic, and humanitarian aid that the United States has provided since 2021,” he said.
Global health and aid officials have repeatedly raised concerns of a growing famine threat in the Gaza Strip in recent months.
By Ryan Morgan
