Journalists criticize Blinken's Gaza policy during his final press conference

 Blinken has faced criticism for supplying weapons and offering diplomatic support to Israel following the outbreak of the latest violence in the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which began on October 7.

Several journalists critical of U.S. support for Israel vocally confronted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a press conference on Thursday, interrupting his remarks as he defended his handling of the Gaza conflict. The exchanges highlighted growing scrutiny of the Biden administration's role in the 15-month-long crisis.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, Blinken faced heated protests over U.S. policy. Independent journalist Sam Husseini accused him of war crimes, shouting, "Criminal! Why aren't you in The Hague?" before being removed by security. The Hague is home to the International Criminal Court, which investigates allegations of war crimes.

The incident underscored the tensions surrounding the U.S. response to the conflict, particularly its military and diplomatic support for Israel. Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages, Israel's retaliatory strikes on Gaza have killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. These actions have led to accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.

Critics like Max Blumenthal of the Grayzone challenged Blinken on U.S. arms support, referencing a missed opportunity for peace in May. Blumenthal was also escorted out after disrupting the briefing. The Biden administration's policies, including arms supplies to Israel, have drawn significant backlash amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

During the press conference, Blinken defended his approach, citing the trauma Israelis endured after the Hamas attack and asserting that U.S. decisions reflected broad Israeli public support for their government's actions. He acknowledged ongoing Israeli investigations into alleged misconduct and described them as consistent with democratic principles.

When asked whether the administration would reassess its policies, Blinken maintained that Hamas's tactics of embedding within civilian populations complicated U.S. evaluations of potential violations of international law. He emphasized that Israel operates under "rule of law" and democratic procedures, which he argued are essential in addressing such allegations.

As Blinken prepares to leave office on Monday with the transition to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, his tenure is likely to be defined by the controversial U.S. stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.