Blinken speaks with UN’s new humanitarian coordinator for Gaza

The US State Department says Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the UN’s new coordinator for humanitarian and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

According to the State Department, Blinken and Sigrid Kaag called for “strengthening the coordination mechanism delivering humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, and facilitating assistance to the northern part of the Gaza Strip to enable the return of displaced people.”

“They emphasized a shared commitment to reach the most vulnerable including urgently expanding the entry of aid and commercial goods into Gaza, increasing use of localized aid to meet immediate needs, and enhancing funding for humanitarian assistance,” says the readout from the State Department.

The State Department statement is released following Blinken’s arrival in Tel Aviv, where he’s slated to meet with Israeli leaders to discuss the ongoing war against Hamas.