Washington, United States: US Secretary of State – Antony Blinken has recently announced that the Palestinian-aided militant group Hamas has blocked the exit for about 1,000 Americans. These US nationals have been stuck in Gaza in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The remarks were shared by US State Secretary during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
During the hearing, he also announced the end of the evacuation flights from Israel, which were operated by the US State Department.
Blinken shared the statistics and outlined that around 400 US citizens, with their families, are trapped in Gaza and failed to leave through the Rafah crossing – which is the main border with Egypt.
He further emphasized that Israel asked that Gazans were asked to flee to Rafah to avoid its ground offensive. However, the militant group has refused to let anyone out. He said, “We’re working with various parties to try to facilitate their departure from Gaza,” adding, “The impediment is simple: it’s Hamas.”
Contact with Americans in Gaza
The State Department is continuously in touch with the Americans, struck in Gaza, through phone calls, emails and WhatsApp messages, stated US State Secretary Blinken. He further emphasized that people who are in Gaza are guided every hour.
He added that the State Department has also been talking to Egypt and Israel to find a way to get them out. However, Hamas does not agree to any of the decisions.
Blinken stated, “We’ve had occasions where we thought that we would be able to move forward … only to find that the necessary procedures that had to be put in place to actually make that work couldn’t go forward.”
Senate Jeff Merkley’s contact with American family
Antony Blinken further underscored that Senate Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) told him that he is in regular contact with the Oregon family, which tried to leave Gaza after receiving messages from the State Department but they failed to leave the place – even after waiting for late at night.
“They weren’t interfered with by Hamas, just the gate never opened,” Merkley said, adding, “With the trucks coming in [with humanitarian aid from Egypt], why can’t we at the same time … get those American families … out that gate?”
Hamas’ decision not to let Americans out
Antony Blinken underscored that Hamas strongly controls what goes inside and outside Gaza; unless there is cooperation by the militant group, it will be difficult to get the Americans out.
He further outlined that there are still stranded Americans in the war-hit region and now, the majority of the airlines have suspended their flights to and from the region. This is following the massive attack by Hamas on October 7, which has taken the lives of over 1,400 people, including more than 33 citizens of the United States.
The State Department began using charter flights to bring Americans back from Israel last week, but at the last scheduled flight, there were only five passengers on a full-sized plane, which took flight earlier this week. However, after witnessing the count of Americans in Israel, the State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has outlined that the department might start flights if there is demand.