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'Criminal': Journalist forced out of Antony Blinken's presser over question on Gaza | Video

Jan 17, 2025 06:42 AM IST

Sam Husseini, an independent journalist who is considered a longtime critic of Washington's approach to world, shouted, “Criminal… Why aren't you in The Hague?”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was interrupted by a shouting journalist during a press briefing over Israel's war on Gaza, on which a ceasefire was agreed to on Wednesday through mediator Qatar but still has to be approved by the Israeli cabinet.

Sam Husseini, an independent journalist, was forcibly picked up and taken out by security personnel after he interrupted Blinken's press briefing.(X/@ryangrim and AFP)
Sam Husseini, an independent journalist, was forcibly picked up and taken out by security personnel after he interrupted Blinken's press briefing.(X/@ryangrim and AFP)

Several journalists repeatedly interrupted Blinken's final press conference as the US Secretary of State as he sought to defend his handling of the 15-month-old conflict which has killed over 46,000 Palestinians.

Sam Husseini, an independent journalist who is considered a longtime critic of Washington's approach to the world, shouted, "Criminal… Why aren't you in The Hague," a city in the Netherlands where the International Criminal Court is located.

As Husseini went on slamming the handling of the conflict, the scene in the State Department briefing room ended when security personnel forcibly picked him up and carried him out of the room. “You're hurting me,” said Husseini as security personnel picked him up.

"Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?" Max Blumenthal, editor of the Grayzone, an outlet that is a strong critic of several aspects of US foreign policy, called out to Blinken, before he was escorted out.

Max Blumenthal later took to X and shared a clip of him asking the question at the press briefing. Blumenthal captioned the post, “My final words for Tony Blinken, Secretary of Genocide, and his smirking press secretary, Matt Miller”.

Blinken, who leaves office on Monday when the administration of President-elect Donald Trump succeeds that of Joe Biden, was seen calmly asking journalists to “respect the process”.

Israel-Hamas truce

The truce between Israel and Hamas, announced by mediators Qatar and the United States on Wednesday, would begin on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be finalised.

Since the war broke in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, Blinken has faced criticism for supplying Israel with weapons and diplomatic support.

Israel's military operations in Gaza have resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry. Israel's actions have led to accusations of genocide, with South Africa bringing a case before the World Court, as well as allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies these claims.

The ongoing assault has displaced almost all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents and raised alarms from global humanitarian organisations, including the world’s leading hunger monitor.

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