US Secretary of State Blinken Condemns Attack on Gaza Aid Convoy by Israeli Protesters

Trucks transporting humanitarian aid enter northern Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the "unacceptable" attack on a Jordanian aid convoy by Israeli protesters who were trying to block its delivery to Gaza.

"My understanding is that the people who attacked this convoy were arrested today by the Israeli authorities. That sends a very strong message," he said during an interview with NBC Nightly News, reported by The Times of Israel, May 2.

Secretary of State Blinken said the Israeli government must "continue to send a strong message that aid cannot be interrupted, must not be interfered with when it passes through Israel. Israel is better than this," he added.

Earlier, Jordan's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Israeli settlers attacked two humanitarian aid convoys as they were heading towards Gaza.

"Two Jordanian aid convoys carrying food, flour and other humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip were attacked by settlers," the ministry said, without giving details about what happened, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Jordanian public service media outlet Al-Mamlaka TV reported that the aid convoy consisting of 31 trucks entered Gaza via the Beit Hanoon crossing, known as the Erez crossing to Israel. This is the first time the crossing has been opened since the start of the war last October.

Secretary of State Blinken on Wednesday traveled to Kerem Shalom, Israel's entrance to Gaza about 3 km from the southern city of Rafah known to Palestinians as Karem Abu Salem. The top US diplomat also visited Israel's main port, Ashdod, highlighting the "progress" made in recent weeks regarding humanitarian access, but stressing once again that much more needed to be done.

“This progress is real, but given the need, given the magnitude of the need in Gaza, it needs to be accelerated and sustained," said Secretary of State Blinken, calling on the Israeli government to take a series of specific steps to facilitate aid to Gaza, where nearly half of the population is suffering from severe hunger.

Why are right-wing extremists destroying flour shipments headed into the Gaza Strip & being allowed to do so by the @IDF near the borders? This is sick and shameful behavior that's wasteful, wrong & undermines claims of unhindered international humanitarian aid being allowed in. pic.twitter.com/Gt4LVvkvFd

— Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib (@afalkhatib) May 1, 2024