Ceasefire Should Be Demanded from Hamas as Well as Israel, Says Blinken

The international community should demand a ceasefire not only from Israel but also from the radical Palestinian Hamas movement. This was the position expressed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a year-end press conference at the State Department.

“I am surprised that while many countries are calling for an end to this conflict, which we all wish for, I can hardly hear anyone demanding that Hamas stop hiding behind innocent civilians and lay down its weapons. If Hamas were to go through with that, the conflict could end tomorrow or even a month ago—six weeks ago,” Blinken stated.

“How can it be that there are no demands directed at the aggressor, and they are only directed at the victim? It would be good if the international community clearly demanded that Hamas do what is necessary to put an end to this,” the U.S. Secretary of State added.

Antony Blinken also spoke about the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that he agrees with Russian President Vladimir Putin's assessment that Western support for Ukraine plays a key role in continuing to confront the Russian army. However, Blinken emphasized that he only agrees with Putin on this matter.

“The continuous support from the U.S. is crucial to enable Ukrainian soldiers and citizens to continue their struggle,” the American diplomat said.