Journalists interrupt, berate Blinken on Gaza policy

Several journalists who are outspoken critics of US support for Israel loudly lambasted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the war on Gaza on Thursday, repeatedly interrupting his final press conference as he sought to defend his handling of the 15-month-old war.

Israel's assault on Gaza is likely to define the foreign policy legacy of the outgoing Biden administration, despite a deal reached with Palestinian group Hamas on Wednesday on a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages.

"Criminal! Why aren't you in The Hague," shouted Sam Husseini, an independent journalist and longtime critic of Washington's approach to the world. The Hague is where the International Criminal Court is located.

The unusually confrontational scene at the State Department briefing room only ended when security personnel forcibly picked up Husseini and carried him out of the room as he continued to heckle Blinken.

"Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?" Max Blumenthal, editor of the Grayzone, an outlet that strongly criticizes many aspects of US foreign policy, called out to Blinken before being escorted out.

Blinken, who leaves office on Monday when the administration of President-elect Donald Trump takes over, calmly asked for quiet while he delivered his remarks, and later took questions from reporters.

He has been frequently heckled at appearances in Washington since Israel's war on Gaza began. Demonstrators camped outside his Virginia home for months and repeatedly threw red paint - resembling blood - on cars carrying Blinken and his family.

Reporting by Reuters