Blinken: Cruelty of Hamas onslaught ‘defies comprehension,’ Gazans used as human shield

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a press conference in Tel Aviv, October 12, 2023. (Lazar Berman/Times of Israel)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a press conference in Tel Aviv, October 12, 2023. (Lazar Berman/Times of Israel)

Speaking in Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the images from Hamas’s shocking massacres are “overwhelming,” expressing sympathy to Israel in the face of the terror group using Gazan civilians as “human shields.”

Reacting to images shown to him by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken says it’s hard to find words.

“A baby riddled with bullets, a soldier beheaded, young people burned in their cars… It’s simply depravity in the worst imaginable way. It almost defies comprehension,” he says as he chokes up, adding that it hearkens back to the Islamic State terror group. “When you see this, you can’t help but imagine yourself, your family, your loved ones, your friends in that situation.”

“Maybe the best word for it for me is overwhelming. I think what it’s done is united a country in profound grief but also in resolve. It’s imperative that we all join in that resolve.”

“This is a moment for moral clarity,” he continues.

“Images are worth a thousand words. These images may be worth a million.”

Blinken stresses that Hamas continues to use civilians as human shields. “That’s one of the basic facts that Israel has to deal with.” He emphasizes that civilians “are not the target of Israel’s military operations.”

Blinken adds that he discussed safe passage and other humanitarian means for Gazan civilians with Israel.

Blinken says that he does not know what Hamas’s goals were in the attack, but “the simplest explanation might be the most compelling. This is pure evil.”

He adds that it is possible that other interests include getting in the way of normalization with Saudi Arabia.

Blinken also says he will meet with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Qatar, after meeting Jordan’s King Abdullah and PA President Mahmoud Abbas this week.

Blinken says that he brought with him his special representative for hostage affairs, who participated in his meetings with US citizens who have lost loved ones who were killed or taken hostage. The official will stay in Israel to keep working for the hostages’ release.

“In my meetings with the prime minister, with President Herzog, with the ministers in Israel’s newly formed national unity government, we discussed in detail what Israel needs to defend itself,” says Blinken. “We are delivering on those needs as we speak.”

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