Difficult but also a consequential time for the region in the wake of hamas appalling attack that killed more than 1, 300 israelis and at least 27 american citizens and people from more than 30 countries. Were working with our friends in qatar and those across the region. As israel continues to respond to the devastating attack, the United States will ensure what it has what it needs to defend people. Secretary austin was there today working closely with the israelis to make sure were providing them with what they need and well do that on an ongoing basis. And were in communication with israeli officials and a multilateral humanitarian negotiations including the icrc to get to civilians in gaza. As i said yesterday in tel aviv, israel has the right and indeed has the obligation to defend its people and to try to ensure hamas can never repeat what its done. We mourn those who have been killed. Lets not lose sight 6 why this is happening. Hamas terrorists slaughtered, raped, mutilated, tortured, burned innocent civilians. From babies and boys and girls. Now, efforts to get humanitarian aid into gaza are complicated by the fact that hamas continues to use innocent civilians as human shields. And is reportedly blocking roads to prevent palestinians from moving to Southern Gaza out of harms way. We know the situation is urgent, we are engaged with partners, including qatar, to get aid to those who need it. Your excellency, thank you again for todays very, very good discussions and for all the work our countries have done together. Thank you. Thank you for the question. A few things, as i said a moment ago. And ill repeat it. Israel has the right and even the obligation to defend its people and to do everything it can to ensure what happened last saturday never happens again. At the same time the way israel does this matters and the way any democracy as to deal with such a situation matters and to that end, we have discussed with the israelis and urged the israelis to use every possible precaution to avoid harm to civilians. Its also important to remember the fundamental issue that makes this so complicated, as i said a moment ago. Hamas uses humans as human shields and puts them in places where theyll be in danger and puts them in places where theyre used, in effect, to try to protect hamas officials or their equipment or infrastructure. Civilians should not be the target of military operations. Theyre not the target of Israeli Operations but deliberately the target of hamas. I mentioned as well were very actively engaged with u. N. Relief agencies, with the icrc and with others to address the humanitarian needs of people in gassa and protect them from harm and ensure they have the ability to get what they need. We need to ensure there are safe areas in gaza. For civilians, were working through the details on that and more will be said in the days ahead but thats a priority for us. We are discussing this with the israeli government. We are discussing it with others. Good evening. I will say weve had communications from qatar and came in contact with countries. [indiscernible] reporter what are the result of the communications and what are you basing them on . And since the outbreak of this, his highness, the emir has initiated contact and i have initiated contact with my counterparts. We are trying to reduce the tension and we hope that this war will come a halt and humanitarian corridors are secured so that humanitarian aid can reach the gaza strip, and also the civilian prisoners who are being taken from israel we are working on making sure that they will be relieved. The role of through other fronts our priorities focus on stopping the war and making sure humanitarian aid is delivered and the prisoners come home. Next question from reuters. Thank you. Sheik muhammad, given the condemnation from the world on hamas attack, is qatar considering shutting down hamas bureau and are you prepared to ask the leadership to leave if your western allies. Mr. Secretary, have you asked qatar to shut down hamas. If i may, mr. Secretary, yesterday and just now you said israel has a right to defend itself. But you added that how it does that matters. You talked about a standard that democracies should strive for even when its difficult to do so. Today israel ordered residents in gaza to move south and the palestinian envoy to call a crime against humanitiy. [indiscernible] let me push you a little bit more on this. How does that order square with that standard you mentioned . And also International Law . Does the United States support this relocation . And since seeing Prime Minister netanyahu did you give your blessing for this move . Thank you. Sec. Blinken thank you p. Please. Muhammad thank you. Your question is about hamas. Right now this office as a way of communicating. Communicating and bringing this is the practice of that office. As long as we are keeping the communication opened right now. And focusing on ending this conflict. Thats what our main focus is this. Actually now our goal for us the United States sharing with us this objective is how to get the hostages back. Secretary blinken let me start by saying, i mentioned this before, but i want to repeat it. I fully thank qatar for the work they are doing to try to help secure the release of hostages. This is something that we deeply appreciate. I know that other countries do as well. Its something that we are actively pursuing. I have also been making it clear in all my conversations throughout this trip that there can be no more business as usual with hamas. Murdering babies. Murdering babies, burning families to death. Taking little children as hostages. These are unconscionable acts of brutality. Every country in our judgment needs to condemn these actions. Needs to hold them accountable. And we will continue to make that clear. When it comes to providing for civilians in gaza, both ensuring that they can be out of harms way and that they can have access to the support that they need, the humanitarian assistance, the food, the medicine, the water. Our focus now is on helping to create safe zones and were doing that with the leading international organizations. Were doing that with israel and working with other countries to that end. Thats where our focus is and think its the best way to make sure civilians who are caught in the crossfire are safe and receive the assistance they need. Thank you. Reporter i have a few more, gentlemen. Mr. Secretary, i know the situation in israel is highly charged and very fluid but are you worried about the medium and long term consequences of whats unfolding in gaza. Are you worried israel may be retaliating in a fury because of the horrendous nature of the attacks and might not have a medium or long term plan. Secondly im worried how you feel about the second front, iran and hezbollah made clear theyll open the new front if and is really blockage of gaza continues. What will be the response be if hezbollah ramps up attacks in response to a Ground Invasion . And muhammad, theyre focusing on the ground situation and looking for qatar to help navigate it. Can you tell us about your engagements with hamas and are you optimistic about getting these people back alive given reports some of them may have already died in israeli strikes in gaza and secondly, there have been rising criticism and protests across the arab world as israels retaliation continues. Whats your view of how israel is conducting its military response . And are you worried about the potential are you also worried about the potential for medium and long term consequences of whats happening. Thank you. Sec. Blinken thank you. The first part of the question, no country, no country can tolerate having a terrorist group come in, slaughter its people in the most unconscionable way and live like that. But what israel is doing is not retaliation but defending the lives of its people and trying to make sure this cannot happen again. And i think any country faced with what israel has suffered would likely do the same thing. Imagine if this had happened in the United States . So thats what is happening. Of course its important to think about, as one might put it, the day after and where this goes, and i believe thats very much a part of israels thinking as well as our own and the thinking of many countries in the region because one thing is for sure, we cant go back to the status quo that allowed this to happen in the first place. So that has to be a part of the thinking and it is. But the immediate focus again is on making sure that israelis are protected and defended and that, again, this cant be allowed to be repeated. With regard to a second fund, as you put it, yes, this is something were very focused on and have been from day one. We want to make sure no other country or entity tries to take advantage of the situation. The president has been very, very clear about that. He said very starkly that any state or nonstate considering that should not. Dont do it. And hes backed that up in a number of ways, including, as i mentioned the other day and is known, deploying our largest Aircraft Carrier battle group to the mediterranean. So thats clearly designed to help ensure that anyone contemplating getting engaged doesnt do it. But beyond that, a big part of my own conversations here throughout this trip, including today, following up the next couple days is working with other countries to make sure theyre using their own contacts, their own influence, their own relationship to make that case that no one else should be taking this moment to create more trouble in some other place. I should mention as well, that earlier today, i had a very good conversation with the Palestinian Authority and among other things, the Palestinian Authority is acting effectively to try to ensure that theres security and stability in the west bank, something that is very much appreciated and they are working as theyve done in the past with israel to that effect. So in each of these areas, yes, this is a focus and its very important that this not expand to other places. Muhammad regarding your question with the progress on the hostages, its very early to judge with the intensity of the war right now how hopeful we are. But were always hopeful in order to get those hostages back. I think the progress will be determined in the next few days, hopefully, and well see if there will be a positive outcome for that. But were doing our best and search doing their best in order to get them released safely. Our view is on the israeli response in gaza. We have seen the amount of devastation that gaza, which almost now half of it has been destructed and the number of people have been killed throughout this operation is significant, and we believe that human beings are human beings everywhere, whether they are israel or palestinians, they have the same value. And this is deeply painful for all of us and we would like to see International Law applied here, and also the same rules we apply to any war being applied to that. We are doing our best to keep communication open in order to ensure the humanitarian suffering doesnt continue. And moving ahead with the humanitarian hostages be provided for them. We cannot deprive the people in gaza from city water and medicine and all the means of life. We believe the situation is very dangerous. On the future outcome of this, the entire situation is very worrying for the entire region and we believe in the absence of any political provisions and the people, this situation will be ongoing, unfortunately. We need to focus on how the day after will be dealt with an how we can create a political horizon and help the people. [speaking another language] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2023] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy visit ncicap. Org] we welcome back to the Program AmbassadorJames Jeffrey at the wellton center to talk about middle east events. Youve seen happy conflicts over many a year and what sets this apart in your mind . Guest ive seen many conflicts not like this. Because in the middle east you have these fights, conflicts, bombing campaigns and such. Weve done them, israel, other countries. Usually return to the status quo. Only a few times do you see a few big ones. The yom