US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken categorically rejected the idea of expelling the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, saying that they should be able to remain in their homeland while Israel fights Hamas.
Blinken said in a television interview in Cairo, “I heard directly from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and almost all the other leaders I spoke to in the region that this idea is doomed to fail, so we do not support it.”
He added, “We believe that people should be able to stay in Gaza, their home, but we also want to make sure that they are out of danger and get the help they need.”
Blinken’s comment comes after former Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon called on Egypt to cooperate and set up tents for the Palestinians in Sinai, considering that there is “endless space” there.
In Cairo, Blinken focused on the issue of humanitarian aid, as he appointed veteran American diplomat and Middle East expert David Satterfield as an aid delegate to Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed on Friday, during his meeting with Blinken, his “complete rejection” of the displacement of residents from Gaza, warning of a “second catastrophe.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
