Blinken: Hamas has Blocked Almost 600 Americans From Leaving Gaza
“And to date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving, showing once again, its total disregard for civilians of any kind who are- who are stuck in Gaza.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation that Hamas has blocked the almost 600 Americans from leaving Gaza.
From the transcript (emphasis theirs):
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll stay tuned. In terms of what’s happening in Gaza. I know there are an estimated 500-600 Americans there. There are only two ways out. One is through the Rafah gate to Egypt. It does not appear any Americans have made it out that way. There’s also another Erez Crossing into Israel. Is there any chance Israel lets some of those Americans out or Egypt allows some of those Americans in?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We have- you’re exactly right. We have several hundred Americans and other nationalities, other civilians from- from other countries who want to leave Gaza. We’ve had people come to Rafah, the crossing with Egypt. And to date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving, showing once again, its total disregard for civilians of any kind who are- who are stuck in Gaza. This is something that we’re working, again, virtually every single day. We have in the- right now in the region on the ground, one of our most experienced diplomats, David Satterfield, working with the different governments concerned with- with Israel, with Egypt, to make sure that we’re ready to be able to get people out, assuming Hamas lets them move. So really, the ball is in Hamas’ court, in terms of letting people who want to leave, civilians from third countries including Americans get out of Gaza.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Just to be clear, you’re saying Hamas is preventing Americans from leaving Gaza?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: That’s correct.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And there are no US personnel who are able to help on the ground?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We have U.S. personnel on the other side of the border in Egypt, consular personnel who can immediately help and assist those Americans who want to leave. We’re working this very, very actively every day, including with partners who may have influenced connections with Hamas that we don’t have, to make sure that people can get out. So we’re tracking this. We want to make sure it happens.
.@SecBlinken says Hamas is preventing Americans in Gaza from leaving through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
"To date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving, showing once again, its total disregard for civilians of any kind who are stuck in Gaza," Blinken says. pic.twitter.com/kShZMbiQV0
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 22, 2023
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
And when do we consider these Americans hostages??
Bloomberg headline states that Joe is telling Israel not to invade until the hostages are released, so why on earth would hamas release any hostage?
I’m sure if we send them a couple of billion like biden wants. they’ll let some of the hostages go.
2-3
600 leftover Americans is nothing to a President who left 30,000 in Afghanistan.
And if there is any justice, the vast majority of those being detained should be American “sympathizers,” who desperately need the life-lesson.
Well, so far for 100 million in promised Aid they’ve released two. So that would be 50 million dollars per hostage
They will not be considered hostages. They’ll have the same status as all of the Americans left stranded in Afghanistan.
But our feckless administration will be sure to send them a bill when they get around to sending them transportation home, if ever.
If you went voluntarily into Gaza, in my opinion you are not a hostage. You may well be on the wrong side.
And, why has the U.S. not fairly declared war on Hamas and every other Muslim terrorist outfit and sponsor?
Electing Dhimmi-crats has grievous consequences.
Why would ANY American be in Gaza? We’re the resorts in North Korea too expensive?
The phrase “Useful idiots” was coined for people exactly like this.
Probably a few tourists but likely many more associated with NGO’s. We personally know a missionary couple who were in Gaza for about thirty years. Aside from their roles as Baptist missionaries, they were medical professionals who taught at a nursing school.
On Amazon, look for a book, “Going To School In Gaza” for their story.
.
Can’t wait to see how many billions Biden throws at the Palestinians to “solve” this problem.
Biden must be trying hard knowing that this group of hostages are largely Democrat voters who support our enemies – and knowing any ransom paid goes to the same people Iran supports.
I heard he was putting together a request of between $7 Billion and $11 Billion.
A lot less than Reagan paid to have our hostages released from Tehran.
Just kidding! 😉
Billions we DO NOT HAVE.
Anyone who believes that Islam is fundamentally a peaceful religion can go to the back of the class now.
Blinken lacks credibility and judgment. It is more likely that he is trying to establish this statement as a “fact” on which to predicate a larger decision.
The twerp is in way over his head. Maybe he should be bringing James Taylor over to play a duet with him.
When I look at Blinken, all I see is weakness.
Actually, I also see evil.
Just looking at and listening to Blinken gives me little hope for anything good.
I question Blinkin’s assessment. Why would Americans be in Gaza, a place whose entire existence is based on the genocide of Jewish people? There are no Americans in Gaza. There are Palestinians with American passports. I see no reason to mount a rescue action.
Good question. Just who are these 600 and why are they there.
The vast majority of them are as you describe; Palestinians (or their children) with American passports. However, some are (non-Palestinian) Americans who were working with NGO and UN aid organizations. The latter group can be – likely should be – more accurately described as hostages at this point.
I think that’s right. It does beg the question of why Americans would be working with an NGO or UN in a country where the average person hates them. And please, each American there must know that, it’s not something that can be hidden.
We Americans like to go out and help others. It’s in our DNA. But perhaps in the future we should go places where we won’t be hated by genocidal killers.
My thoughts exactly
See my reply above to MAJack.
.
Why are Americans even in Gaza? Sometimes you must let fate deal with fools the way they need to be dealt with. And now I understand why the federal government charges Americans to be rescued when they are in a hostile country.
IMO, this is similar to folks who insist on making wilderness treks in bad conditions. They willingly placed themselves in an area with elevated levels of danger, a place where a rapid escalation of threat levels not only is possible but has happened repeatedly. Gaza’s ruling junta is terrorist group. Choosing to go into a place ruled by Hamas is the opposite of prudent.
The call to evangelize others is strong.
It’s much the same as the call to Karen them.
To Hamas, all humans are either supporters, victims, or human shields – with the first two categories overlapping the last.
36 jewish americans killed by hamas terrorist attack.
600 muslim americans being used by hamas as human shields and hostages.
This isn’t difficult, but will become more so the longer our cowardly government lets it fester. Our response should be the same one we should be using for the 7 Oct hostages:
President Joe Buythem would prefer to give American tax $$$$ for nothing in return.
He can then get his 10% back through his brother or son.
Respectfully,
(1) A president cannot bind future president’s actions. Hamas knows this.
(2) While everyone likes money, lack of money won’t change Hamas. They didn’t change during the years when Trump shut off the money.
Why is he telling us?
Why doesn’t he do something about it and then tell us what he did?
Because he is a worthless do nothing?
Well, duh!
Hamas is the warden of the open-air prison.
Sounds like a job for Snake Plisken.
Blinken needs to explain that they need to release the hostages immediately–they can’t hold back the Israelis forever–and he needs to explain that if Israel goes in the ground, there’s nothing the US can or will do to stop them