Arrr, Blinken be claimin' Hamas be the scurvy dogs keepin' foreign scallywags from leavin' Gaza; Egypt lendin' a hand, aye!
2023-10-15
Arr, mateys! The likes of Antony Blinken be tellin' us that those scurvy dogs from Hamas be causin' trouble whilst we be evacuatin' our fellow foreign souls from the treacherous waters of Gaza. Fear not, for Blinken be workin' with Egypt and the United Nations to chart a course to safety!
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a humorous tone reminiscent of a 17th-century pirate, accused Hamas of disrupting the departure of foreign nationals from the Gaza Strip. He denied claims that Israel was blocking these departures and instead blamed Hamas for the disruption. According to Blinken, Egypt is prepared to assist with the evacuation of citizens and foreign nationals from Gaza and to provide aid to the area.Blinken's comments came during an interview with Randa Abul Azm of Al-Arabiya, who had raised concerns about getting civilians out of harm's way in Gaza as Israel launched a ground offensive. Azm had claimed that Israel was blocking the departure of foreign nationals from the region. However, Blinken countered this claim and asserted that the problem lay with Hamas.
In addition to discussing the evacuation efforts, Blinken also accused Hamas of putting civilians at risk by locating its critical leaders, command centers, weapons, and ammunition in residential areas. He described this tactic as using the Palestinians of Gaza as human shields.
The growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has become a cause for concern for several countries. Discussions about getting humanitarian aid to the region have taken place, with a sense of urgency to address the issue. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that over 338,000 individuals have been displaced, with a majority seeking shelter in UNRWA-run schools.
Israel had issued a warning for residents in northern Gaza to evacuate the area, citing a need to minimize civilian casualties during its planned ground offensive. The U.S. has urged Israel to delay the start of the operation to allow residents to relocate. President Biden and Blinken have emphasized the need for Israel to adhere to the "rules of war."
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi called for access through Rafah but also warned against letting in large numbers of Palestinians, stating that it would threaten the Palestinian cause. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry criticized the evacuation order as a grave violation of international law. Egypt has been involved in the blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control, tightly controlling the entry of supplies and the exit of people.