Israel must do 'everything possible' to ensure humanitarian workers can do their jobs: Blinken

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that an Israeli airstrike on a distribution center belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in the southern Gaza Strip underscored the “imperative of having much better and much more consistent deconfliction” with regards to humanitarian workers.

"They need to be able to do their jobs with as much security and as much confidence as possible," he said. "The Israeli government has a responsibility and obligation to do everything possible to ensure that the humanitarians can do their jobs."

Blinken said in response to a question about the strike, which occurred earlier in the day, that he does not know the details and the Israeli army is investigating.

"We will look closely to see what that investigation produces," he told reporters.

On the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, he said it “remains insufficient,” adding that Israel needs to open as many access points as possible.

Speaking to reporters after attending a video conference with officials from Southern Cyprus, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the European Union and the UN, Blinken said humanitarian assistance through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings is getting back to the levels of some weeks ago, which is 200 trucks a day.

Before the start of Israel’s war on Oct. 7, Gaza relied on an average of 500 truck deliveries per day.

"There's movement and...it's positive, but it remains insufficient," he said. "Israel still needs to open as many access points as possible and keep them up to make sure that things are flowing in a sustainable way.”

Noting the efforts to build a maritime corridor into Gaza, Blinken said it will enable the distribution of up to 2 million meals every day.

"I want to emphasize, it is a complement, not a substitute for other ways of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza," he said. ​​​​​​​ "And in particular, overland routes remain the most critical way to get assistance in and then to people who need it. But this will help close the gap.”

Blinken said the most effective way to get more assistance in is a cease-fire.

"There is a strong proposal on the table right now," he said.