A journalist interrupted Blinken's speech and called him a criminal
A journalist present at the speech of U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on January 16 tried to ask him a question about the Gaza Strip and after refusal called him a criminal.
Footage from the press conference shows that the man asked the head of the State Department why the U.S. administration "allowed his friends to be killed."
In response, Blinken asked for protocol and promised to answer any questions at the end of the speech, while the pro-Palestinian speaker was attempted to be escorted out by security.
"I look forward to answering questions. <...> Genocide and discrimination, and you tell me to respect the process. Criminal!" - shouted the reporter.
Earlier in the day, Al Jazeera TV reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a massive strike on the Gaza Strip after reaching an agreement with Hamas. At least 30 Palestinians were killed, it reported.
After that, the Israeli prime minister's office accused Hamas of backtracking on a number of agreements and blackmail attempts. In turn, representatives of the movement said that the IDF struck the place where one of the hostages was, and warned of the possibility of turning the release of people into a tragedy because of the aggression of Tel Aviv.
The Gaza ceasefire agreement was announced the day before. It was reported that it will begin on January 19, and in the first stage lasting 42 days, 33 Israeli hostages should be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.
