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Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson
Washington, D.C.
March 4, 2024
1:26 p.m. EST
MR MILLER: Good afternoon. Monday. Start with some opening comments.
We remain extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. As last week’s incident in northern Gaza made painfully clear, people are desperate for food, for water, for medicine. Parents are facing impossible choices about how to feed their children. Many don’t know where the next meal will come from, or if it will come at all.
The situation is simply intolerable. And that’s why the United States is focused on increasing and sustaining aid in Gaza through as many channels as possible.
Over the weekend, the Department of Defense and the Jordanian Royal Air Force worked together to air drop 38,000 ready-to-eat meals into Gaza. Operating out of Jordan, this operation saw a United States contribution of 66 bundles of aid, packed across three C-130 aircraft, delivered to those in dire need.
This air drop was the first in a series the Department of Defense will be conducting, but I want to be clear about one thing: these air drops are intended to supplement, not replace, aid through other mechanisms.
We are also actively pursuing options to establish a maritime assistance corridor. We are in discussion with a number of partners about this initiative, and while it is still in the development phase, we are optimistic about its potential to supplement our air and land efforts.
We continue to work to increase the amount of aid flowing through existing border crossings at Rafah and Kerem Shalom and to press the Government of Israel to open additional crossings and routes into Gaza. Even as we explore other means of delivery, it is critical that we maximize the aid flowing into Gaza over land.
When it comes to distribution inside Gaza, over the past week, the ability of the UN and other humanitarian implementers to distribute assistance within central and south Gaza has improved. While over 100 trucks a day of humanitarian assistance are now being distributed to those in need, this level is still significantly below the levels needed to meet minimum requirements to avert famine.
In northern Gaza, we remain concerned at the increasing severity of the humanitarian situation. While private sector convoys have attempted to deliver assistance and some have been successful, these efforts are not and cannot be a replacement for large-scale assistance to the north distributed by the UN. We will continue to press the Government of Israel to facilitate increased deliveries to the north.
Our goal is clear: to establish a comprehensive aid strategy that includes air, land, and sea routes to maximize the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and ensure that aid is distributed to everyone in Gaza who needs it.
Finally, we continue to push for a temporary ceasefire through a hostage agreement that would allow a massive surge of aid into Gaza and ease the distribution problems that are currently hindering humanitarian efforts. A deal is on the table – a deal that would bring the hostages home and that would alleviate the terrible suffering of the Palestinian people. Hamas should accept it immediately.
With that, Matt.
QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. Before getting back to the – before getting into the aid, I just want to ask you what you know about this U.S. Embassy employee who was found dead in Jerusalem.
MR MILLER: I can confirm the death of a direct-hire employee of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. There’s not much more I can say at this point due to privacy considerations; as you know, there are steps we need to undertake, including next-of-kin notification, whenever such a terrible tragedy occurs. But it’s an incident that is under investigation, and I do just want to be clear that’s a step that always happens when someone dies, and there are no indications of foul play.
QUESTION: Okay. But when you say a direct hire, what does that mean? Does it mean an American citizen?
MR MILLER: American citizen. And I can’t say much more. I’m sure when we’ve finished next-of-kin notifications I’ll be able to say more, but that’s not where we are today.
QUESTION: Okay. Well, do you know what this person did?
MR MILLER: Again, due to the privacy and respect for the family, it’s not something I can say today. Be happy to get into it once we’ve completed that process.
QUESTION: All right. And then back to the – unless someone else wants to go on that, just back on the aid situation. So you know that Bennie Gantz is in town and meeting with the Vice President and people at the White House today and with Secretary Blinken tomorrow. How focused are those – are these discussions going to be on the aid situation, which you just said was intolerable?
MR MILLER: So it will be at the top of the agenda. I won’t speak in detail as to what the Vice President and the National Security Advisor will discuss with the minister. I’m sure that they will provide readouts and speak to those meetings at some point. But I can tell you it is at the top of the agenda. It will be at the top of the agenda when Secretary Blinken meets with Minister Gantz tomorrow. It’s something that the Secretary raised in a phone call with Ron Dermer, the Israeli minister for strategic affairs, earlier today to press that more must be done to get aid into Gaza, to ensure that the delivery of aid is sustained into Gaza, and to ensure that once aid gets into Gaza it can be disturbed to those who need it.
QUESTION: Okay. And based on the conversation the Secretary had with former Ambassador Dermer this morning, do you have any indication that the Israelis are willing to allow more aid in, especially since you’ve been pushing for several weeks now on opening Erez crossing in the north into Gaza, and that has not yet happened?
MR MILLER: So I will let the Israeli Government speak for themselves about decisions that they take, but we will continue to press them to allow more aid in through Rafah, through Kerem Shalom, and to open additional crossings to the north. As we’ve spoken about before, it’s extremely difficult to get aid from southern Gaza and central Gaza into the north right now. We all saw the horrific video last week of commercial deliveries in the north to people who are incredibly desperate for food and the way they – when they see any hope of a chance of getting food, the way they rush to get it. It’s a clear sign that more needs to be done, and so that’s what we’re pressing the Government of Israel to do.
QUESTION: Do you have any indication that they get it and that they’re accepting your – your appeals?
MR MILLER: Again, I don’t want to speak for them, but it’s something we’re continuing to press with —
QUESTION: Well, I’m not asking you to speak for them. I’m asking you to tell me whether or – or to tell everyone here what – whether or not you think that your arguments are having an impact.
MR MILLER: It is an issue that we remain incredibly focused on. The Government of Israel tells us, as they say publicly, that they want to ensure that aid gets to those who need it. But ultimately, as you’ve heard us say when it comes to other matters, it’s the results that matter, not the intent. And right now not enough aid is getting in and not enough aid is getting distributed, and that needs to change.
QUESTION: Thanks.
MR MILLER: Humeyra.
QUESTION: Hi, Matt. I just want to go back a little bit to the air drops because they have raised a lot of questions and some criticism as well. A lot of people made the point that why does Washington need to resort to a practice that it would use in battlefields or areas that are controlled by hostile forces? Given that this area is controlled by Israel, why is the United States forced to use this practice to get aid into an area that its closest ally controls?
MR MILLER: So a few things. Number one, we are using air drops because not enough aid is getting in right now. That’s the fundamental reason, and we want to do everything we can to get aid in through any mechanism possible.
Number two, even as we air drop food and assistance into Gaza, as I said in my opening comments, we are continuing to push for the expansion of alternative mechanisms.
But then the third thing I would say is I’ve seen people expressing their opposition to these air drops, and it’s something I frankly don’t understand. If you want to say that air drops are not enough, fine. We would agree with that proposition. As I said, we want to see aid come in through a maritime delivery route, and we’re exploring one. We want to see aid come in through the crossing that are already open but need to be increased. And we want to see aid come in through additional crossings that are open.
But it’s a good thing, not a bad thing, to see thousands of meals distributed by air. And so we will continue to deliver aid through that mechanism, but it is very much not a replacement for every other mechanism to get aid into Gaza.
QUESTION: I mean, I think a lot of people were pointing out to the fact that it’s a very expensive workaround. So I want to repeat a question that me and my colleagues have repeatedly asked you here over the last four months. The United States does have a very important and big leverage over Israel, like it does over other countries, and that is the military aid. And you have repeatedly said that Washington has so far – did not feel the need to or does not think it’s the best option to use that leverage.
So after the events of last week and as the situation on the ground gets even more dire, and there seems to be an obvious inability on the part of U.S. Government to influence Israel in a meaningful way on this particular issue, does the United States – is the United States reconsidering its decision to not use military aid as its leverage over Israel?
MR MILLER: So again, we continue to support Israel’s campaign to ensure that the attacks of October 7th cannot be repeated. We have provided military assistance to Israel because it is consistent with that goal. Hamas continues – the leadership of Hamas, that planned and plotted October 7th, continue to be at large inside Gaza. They continue to pose a threat to innocent civilians inside Israel. They would relaunch the attacks of October 7th today, tomorrow, if they had the capability to do so. So we support Israel’s legitimate military campaign consistent with international humanitarian law, and that’s why we continue to support them militarily.
At the same time, we are incredibly concerned about the humanitarian situation, and that’s why you’ve seen engagement at the highest levels of this government. And you all have heard this from me before, but it is the engagement by the President, the engagement by the Secretary, that ensured that Rafah was open in the first place, that ensured that Kerem Shalom was open in the first place, that hopefully is going to ensure another crossing opens in the north.
And so it is through that engagement that we have gotten humanitarian assistance in. That is in no way to say that we are satisfied. We are very much not satisfied. And so we are going to build on the record that has proven somewhat successful but very much needs to be expanded in getting more humanitarian assistance in, and we will engage directly with the Israeli Government on that question.
QUESTION: So that’s a no?
MR MILLER: It’s my – the answer I just provided.
QUESTION: Okay, a couple of other little things —
MR MILLER: Yes.
QUESTION: — on maritime. You said this is in developmental – development phase. But – so I mean, as much as you can say, there is no port in Gaza. Where is this going to be offloaded?
MR MILLER: So I can’t say very much about it. It’s a matter that we are exploring with commercial partners as well as other partners in the region. There are a number of different ways to do it. We’re trying to find the most efficient way to get as much aid in as possible. But while we’re reviewing that privately, I don’t think I should talk to it in detail from here.
QUESTION: Is there any consideration that the U.S. military would be involved?
MR MILLER: We have – as you’ve heard the President make clear, we do – he is not sending U.S. military to Gaza.
QUESTION: Could I just basically follow up on Humeyra’s question, but maybe ask it in a slightly different way? Israel, of course, is a friendly country to the United States, is a very good relationship, but there are actually warnings of famine, perhaps, coming soon in Gaza. I mean, do you believe that Israel could do more to actually avert this?
MR MILLER: We do think there is more that they could do. There is more that they could do practically. There are decisions that they could make that would have an impact. Opening an increased crossing would be one. There are practical decisions that they could make with respect to security around the distribution of aid inside Gaza that we have been pressing them to make. So yes, we very much agree that there is more that they can do and more that they should do.
QUESTION: And why do you think they haven’t done it? Is there any influence that the U.S. could –
MR MILLER: I will – I will let them speak to their own decision making. The point that we make to them is that the situation as it stands now is unacceptable and everyone involved needs to do more.
QUESTION: And just one more on that. The situation in northern Gaza in particular, there’s been a security deterioration. I mean, do you think that everything has been done that could be possible to actually improve the security there, or do you think there are things the Israelis could do to improve the stability there?
MR MILLER: I do think there’s more. I think the – one of the most important things that they could do to improve the security situation in northern Gaza would be to open a crossing to allow humanitarian aid to get in. There – Israel faces a – there are a number of security issues right now with respect to northern Gaza. One is that there are Hamas fighters that continue to operate there and continue to pop up from time to time and try to re-engage with IDF forces. But there is also a security situation with respect to the number of people who are there – who are desperate for aid. And that’s a security situation that you saw play out last week when you see hundreds if not thousands of people running to trucks just because they’re desperate for food for their families.
So we think getting more aid in would both alleviate the underlying humanitarian situation but would alleviate the desperation, and that if people knew – it gets to this point. The reason we are trying to get aid in through as many channels as possible is it is our assessment that if people know that this truck they see today is not the last truck that’s going to be in their neighborhood delivering food in the next week or month, they’re less likely to rush out there and put themselves in danger, put their neighbors in danger, and create a chaotic situation.
So we just need to get more aid in so people have confidence that there will be a next meal for themselves, for their family members. And that’s what we’re trying to do.
QUESTION: Can I just follow up?
MR MILLER: Jen, go ahead.
QUESTION: Oh, do you want to —
MR MILLER: Go ahead.
QUESTION: It was just a follow-up on the security point.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: I mean, how much of a factor is the bombing of police forces that were securing these convoys by the Israelis in what has happened since? Because we know what a problem that has caused. These police, as far as I understand it, are sometimes unarmed, they contain remnants that are still called Fatah, not all Hamas, and they have been hit. And that seems to have been a huge factor in them no longer be willing to secure the convoys, which has led to this complete drying up of aid, particularly being able to get to the north, and therefore part of the problem with the terrible event we saw on Thursday. So how much of a factor was Israel doing that in what’s now happening?
MR MILLER: It is a significant factor. And the point that we have made to the Government of Israel is what’s important is that aid be distributed from the warehouses at Rafah, the warehouses in – at Kerem Shalom or just inside the Gaza border, out to neighborhoods so people can get it. There are a number of ways in which that could occur. Police escorts could be one. As I mentioned a moment ago, there are increased deliveries that have been going on the last week in which the UN has been able to provide – to find security that is not provided by on-duty police. There may be other alternative mechanisms as well. Ultimately, that’s a question for the Government of Israel and the United Nations to determine.
But what we have made clear is what’s not an acceptable alternative is for people to starve. And so whatever the security situation is that’s – that needs to be established to ensure that those trucks can deliver needs to be done. And Israel can – we will be happy to work with Israel and with the United Nations to find the best alternative to ensure that those trucks can safely deliver their food, their water, their medicine. But an unacceptable answer is allowing those – is leaving those trucks just sitting in warehouses and not getting the aid distributed to the people who desperately, desperately need it.
QUESTION: But doesn’t it go – it goes to the fundamental issue, though, that there is no security in Gaza. So this is not a day-after problem, some sort of hypothetical in the future; it’s happening now. And it’s happening now because there was no plan.
MR MILLER: I would not disagree with the assessment that it is not a day-after issue, it is an issue now, and it’s one that the Government of Israel needs to work with the United Nations to determine an answer to now, because there is a very urgent need on the ground.
QUESTION: Can I —
MR MILLER: Said, go ahead. Sorry, I was supposed to come to you —
QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. A couple things. In your response to Humeyra and to Shaun, on the – what happened last Thursday, you’re saying that we’ve seen what desperate people needing food and so on, what could – are you saying that the tragedy was a result of the stampede of people?
MR MILLER: There is an investigation ongoing by the Government of Israel. I know they’ve released preliminary – a preliminary assessment. But there’s a further investigation going on. But clearly, the reason all those people were out there in the first place at 4:30 in the morning – I think it’s easy to lose sight of that. This was not in the middle of the day; it’s 4:30 in the morning. And the reason that many people were out there was because they’re so desperate for food and assistance. When aid trucks roll in, especially in the middle of the night, you shouldn’t have to see people swarming them for aid. They should have confidence that that aid will be distributed, but they don’t right now and for good reason, because aid hasn’t been getting there, and they’re desperate to feed their families.
QUESTION: Okay. But you don’t doubt that the Israeli military fired on those people?
MR MILLER: They have —
QUESTION: That there were gunshots?
MR MILLER: They have offered a public assessment of what’s happened, and they said that they did fire in one context. We do not have any independent confirmation of how the actual events rolled out. I know that there are differing assessments and conflicting evidence about what happened, which is why we’re going to await the outcome of the investigation.
QUESTION: Yeah, but I mean, as wonderful as it is to send them aid by airplanes, I mean, it’s 38,000 meals. That’s, like, 0.07 – one-seventh each one person. I mean, that’s a very small amount. The best way obviously is via ground, and the U.S. can send in trucks. I don’t think that the Israelis would shoot or would fire on American-controlled trailer trucks and so on.
MR MILLER: Said, I think you’re – you, number one, are missing everything I just said, both in my opening comments and —
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MR MILLER: Just – I – please don’t interrupt, because I didn’t interrupt you – about the fact that these air drops are intended to supplement, not replace. And while they are insufficient by themselves, they are still important and will provide meals to people who otherwise did not have them, so we do feel they meet a critical need and we will continue them. But that does not change the fundamental underlying issue, which is we do need to get more aid in through land delivery and potentially through sea delivery, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.
QUESTION: Yeah. First of all, I’m not dismissing the value of that. In fact, I asked the question last week if the U.S. would do something like this – nor was I interrupting you. I’m just saying I realized that it’s an effort, but it’s a very small effort. There are other ways. And even by sea, I mean, I understand the U.S. military has these wonderful causeways they can roll things in. Doesn’t – you don’t even have to have a harbor and so on. But that is still inefficient. I mean, it’s – the United States and Egypt and so on, there is a political decision to ensure – I mean, to basically force Israel to allow trucks in. I’d believe that they will prevail. You don’t think that the U.S. can prevail if it pressures Israel to allow these trucks in?
MR MILLER: We are making clear that more trucks need to come in from the seniormost levels of this government.
QUESTION: Okay, a couple more questions. Of course I think it was raised that there is something like 15 children that have already died of starvation in Gaza, and there seems to be maybe hundreds more in the coming days and so on. So the situation is very, very desperate. Let me ask you about UNRWA. Have you arrived a decision on continuing aid or resuming aid to UNRWA?
MR MILLER: We have made clear that we are going to make that determination at the conclusion of the two investigations the UN is conducting with respect to UNRWA. Neither of those investigations has concluded at this point.
QUESTION: Do you have any, like, calendar or timetable on this, because —
MR MILLER: It’s – it’s —
QUESTION: — the people in UNRWA are saying that we are – the situation is pretty horrible.
MR MILLER: So it’s a question you should direct to the UN about how long that – those two investigations will take.
QUESTION: But you are not demanding that the UN sort of speed up the process?
MR MILLER: I think it’s in the UN’s interest that the investigations be completed as soon as possible. I’m sure that they are well aware of that.
QUESTION: And finally, I have one – can you share with us any update on the talks?
MR MILLER: On the hostage talks? No, I’m not going to read those out in detail other than to say, as I said in my opening comments, that there is a deal on the table. And that deal would get hostages out, it would deliver a temporary ceasefire of six weeks, and it would allow more aid to come in, so we hope Hamas will accept the deal.
Jen.
QUESTION: On the hostage talks, Matt, what do you make of the fact that Israel did not send a delegation to Cairo for these continued working-level talks?
MR MILLER: I will let Israel speak for itself. We want – we are engaged in the ongoing talks and want them to conclude successfully.
QUESTION: Are you concerned that this indicates that they would not accept any Hamas counterproposals or discuss them at all?
MR MILLER: Israel has made clear that they want a deal to secure the release of hostages. They have been engaged to try to secure a deal to release hostages and achieve a temporary ceasefire. And we’ll continue to engage with them in that regard.
QUESTION: And you spoke of the Israeli investigation into what happened last Thursday. Would the U.S. support an independent investigation?
MR MILLER: So I’ve heard those calls for an independent investigation. I have – as yet have not seen who people have in mind or what body they have in mind to conduct the – such an independent investigation. I did note that the UN says that it is sending UN staff into hospitals to look at the nature of the wounds to see if it was a small number of people who were killed by gunshot or whether it was a larger number, or whether the deaths have – came as a result of being run over by trucks or crushed in the horrific events that occurred. So it does appear the UN is conducting at least its own kind of assessment of what happened, and we support them doing that.
QUESTION: And then on the Gantz visit, there’s been a lot of political furor in Israel from Netanyahu and members of his coalition there. Does the U.S. – I guess can you talk us through why you thought it was still appropriate to meet with Gantz despite —
MR MILLER: So Benny Gantz is a member of the war cabinet, someone with whom the Secretary has engaged in his visits to Israel, someone with whom the Secretary has had one-on-one phone calls on repeated occasions when we’re back here in the United States. So what ministers travel to the United States is – and how they make those decisions and how they coordinate is ultimately an internal matter for the Government of Israel to determine on their own. For our part, we find him an important figure inside the Israeli Government to engage with and – given the number of issues that we have currently that we are in discussion with the Government of Israel about, including the need to surge humanitarian assistance in – for our purposes, it’s an important meeting to have.
QUESTION: And I have a couple on Haiti when (inaudible) —
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MR MILLER: Let’s go ahead. Go ahead and go to Haiti, and I’ll come back.
QUESTION: I was going to follow up. Is that all right?
MR MILLER: Oh, go ahead. Yeah.
QUESTION: Sorry. I don’t want to step on anybody, but just directly to follow —
MR MILLER: Go ahead.
QUESTION: — on Jenny’s question, I mean does the fact that senior U.S. officials – including the Secretary, the Vice President, National Security Advisor – the fact that they’re taking these meetings with Benny Gantz signal that they see in him more of a willing diplomatic partner than Prime Minister Netanyahu?
MR MILLER: I would not make that assessment. We’re meeting with Benny Gantz because he’s one of three members of the war cabinet thought to – one of five, if you count the two advisor members – but one of three members of the war cabinet who has a critical vote and a critical stake in how this war is conducted. He has a critical voice in the delivery of humanitarian assistance; he’s an important figure in the sitting government of Israel, and so that’s why we engage with him.
QUESTION: I mean, he’s also a political rival of the sitting prime minister and Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear that he disapproves of these meetings going forward. So in taking these meetings, did the U.S. consider that they might fuel political instability within the existing Israeli Government.
MR MILLER: We – that is – the various political intrigue inside Israel is ultimately a matter for the Government of Israel and the political class in Israel that we take no position on. The Secretary has met with Benny Gantz a number of times – met with him in the presence of the prime minister; he’s met with him separately, just as he’s met with members of the opposition and members of the – and other members of the government, and we’ll continue to do that, because we think it’s important to do so and advances the interests of the United States.
QUESTION: Two quick follows on the region?
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: One is, what can you say about Israel’s willingness to make good on the requirements set forth in the National Security Memorandum set forth last month, about providing written confirmation that they’ll use American military aid in accordance with humanitarian law? Absent having already supplied that response, have they indicated that they will be able to meet that deadline and provide you a written —
MR MILLER: So it’s a matter we are in conversation with the Government of Israel about, as we are in conversation with other countries that receive security assistance from the United States. I don’t want to get into those underlying discussions, but there is a deadline that the executive order sets out. I think it’s 45 days from early February, when it was established. And we will engage with every country that we provide military assistance to about the requirements set out on the executive order and how they can fulfill them.
QUESTION: Is Israel on track to meet that deadline?
MR MILLER: Again, the deadline is clearly imposed. I don’t want to speak to it before we get there. It’s a matter, right now, we’re in discussion with Israel. And I should note, I know all the questions always come with respect to Israel, but this is a matter that’s not unique to Israel. It applies to every country that receives security assistance from the U.S.
QUESTION: Last quick one on Rafah.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Was – has the U.S. been advised as to whether there is a likely or an imminent ground operation likely to be launched into Rafah?
MR MILLER: No, we have not. And we have still not been briefed on any plan either for a military operation or a humanitarian assistance plan that we have said is critical before a military operation takes place.
QUESTION: And you would still expect that to happen before anything happens on the ground?
MR MILLER: It is what we have said is critical.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR MILLER: Go ahead.
QUESTION: The situation on the ground in Haiti —
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: — has deteriorated even further. What’s the U.S. assessment of where things go from here? Our understanding is the prime minister is not in the country. Is the U.S. trying to facilitate his return there? And then are there any plans to evacuate the embassy at this point?
MR MILLER: So first of all, we are closely monitoring the situation and condemn efforts by gangs to further destabilize and take control of Haiti. It’s our understanding that the prime minister is returning to the country. We think it’s important that he do so and that he be allowed to do so.
Many of those responsible for the uptick in violence have been designated by the United States under the Global Magnitsky Act and illicit drugs sanctions programs and by other members of the international community under their authorities. And I think the actions you’ve seen these gang members take over the last few days shows exactly why they have been so designated. And it also underscores the urgency of finalizing the Multinational Security Support Mission to assist the Haiti National Police in dealing with the dire security situation on the ground.
With respect to the embassy, the embassy remains open. The – we announced yesterday that the embassy has moved to limited operations with no public services available the first three days of this week due to the ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince.
QUESTION: Can I just follow up on that?
MR MILLER: Yeah. Janne, I swear I’ll come to you. We’ll do this first and then —
QUESTION: So just the tense – the prime minister is returning to the country. Like is he in the process of it? Is he —
MR MILLER: I will let the Haitian Government speak to that.
QUESTION: Does the U.S. have any role in —
MR MILLER: Again, I’ll let the Haitian Government speak to the prime minister’s travel. Go ahead, Janne.
QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. Two questions on Russia and North Korea. The Russian President Putin warned that if the Western countries sent troops to Ukraine nuclear war would break out. How do you think about the Russia as a nuclear threat?
MR MILLER: So first of all, the – that rhetoric, as we’ve seen before, is irresponsible and inappropriate for a nuclear power and is inconsistent with the way that any nuclear power should talk about the use of such weapons in public. But we have seen no reason to change our nuclear posture. And I would just note, as I always note, as the President has made clear, we are not sending boots on the ground to Ukraine.
QUESTION: Secondly, on North Korea, there are signs that North Korea will soon launch another reconnaissance satellite. Do you think Russia is providing satellite technology to North Korea as part of its weapons support?
MR MILLER: I just don’t want to comment on that detail.
Alex, go ahead.
QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. A couple of separate topics. Staying on Russia rhetoric.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Russia ramped its rhetoric against Moldova, saying that West is trying to take over the leadership of Moldova. Do you have any response to Lavrov?
MR MILLER: That’s obviously not true.
QUESTION: He also accused Armenia of going towards the West, and then he promised that they will respond to Armenia. Any reaction?
MR MILLER: So I’m not going to respond directly to that question, although it’s the kind of – it’s the kind of rhetoric that we have seen the Russian Government make that is destabilizing to the region, and it’s why you’ve seen so many of Russia’s neighbors be concerned about threatening rhetoric and threatening actions that the Russian Government has shown over and over it is willing to take against its neighbors. And I’ll leave it at that.
QUESTION: Thank you. Do you want to weigh into a German leaked story in two contexts actually? One is Germany says that it – Russia has ramped up its information war against it since last night; secondly, whether do you see this might mean that Germany will be frozen out of intel sharing?
MR MILLER: I don’t have any comment on intelligence matters at all.
Guita, go ahead.
QUESTION: A couple of – a few questions, Matt, on Iran. Today, the director general of the IAEA delivered his report – officially delivered his report to the Board of Governors and made statements about the different subjects, including Iran. He didn’t have anything positive to say about what Iran’s been doing in the past few months.
MR MILLER: Nor will I, much to your surprise.
QUESTION: (Laughter.) He also expressed concern about some comments that Iranian officials have been making that – about their capabilities to build a bomb. This was the first time that Grossi made reference to that. Does the U.S. think that it’s time to censor Iran or at least report it directly to the UN Security Council? Because I think Reuters has reported and quoted Western officials that the E3 do have a draft for a censure, but the U.S. may not be very willing to go along with it.
MR MILLER: So we are closely coordinating with our E3 allies on our approach to Iran’s nuclear program, including with respect to the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. I don’t have any actions to preview at this time, but we fully support the IAEA and Director General Grossi and believe that Iran must fully uphold its safeguard obligations without further delay.
QUESTION: Your Iranian counterpart today was asked about the 2015 nuclear agreement. He said that the —
MR MILLER: I didn’t know I had an Iranian counterpart. Does he hold press briefings?
QUESTION: Yes, they do – once a week. (Laughter.)
MR MILLER: Yeah. Yeah. Once a week.
QUESTION: Yeah.
MR MILLER: With a thriving free press inside Iran.
QUESTION: Perfect. He was asked about the JCPOA, and he said that the diplomatic channels was – were still open. Have any communication been exchanged in this regard regarding their nuclear program?
MR MILLER: So we have the ability to communicate to Iran when it is in the U.S. interest to do so, but I’m not going to characterize those communications further.
QUESTION: Okay. One last one. Shervin Hajipour, one of – who composed a song last year —
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: — about – yeah – the protests, and he was given an almost four-year sentence, plus that he has to read books on women’s rights in Islam and to compose an anti-U.S. song and publish it on social media. Do you have any comments?
MR MILLER: So we condemn the years-long prison sentence for Shervin Hajipour, who many around the world know for his song Baraye which became a global anthem for the Iranian peoples’ protests. You may remember that Secretary Blinken had the – that song on his 2022 Spotify playlist and Dr. Jill Biden presented him with the first ever Grammy for best song for social change. And I think the Iranian Government’s actions are just another signal of their intent to crack down on freedom of expression and repress voices inside their own society whenever possible.
QUESTION: Can I ask one more on Iran?
MR MILLER: To – yeah.
QUESTION: The – I know you commented on this before the election, but the election, particularly the turnout. Authorities are reporting its 41 percent, which would be the lowest since the Islamic Revolution. Do you have any comment either on the turnout – whether you think that turnout is accurate, but what the overall historically low turnout, what it means?
MR MILLER: I don’t have our own assessment to offer about turnout, other than to say that the Iranian authorities’ claims about turnout have generally been unreliable. But as you heard me say last week, we did not assess that these elections would be free and fair and believe that many Iranian voters would assess that the elections would not be free and fair. And so it wouldn’t be surprise me if in that regards they chose not to participate.
QUESTION: Can I just take it one step further? I mean, do you think this is a show of discontent or whatever the low —
MR MILLER: We know that the Iranian people are discontented. We see them – we’ve seen them come out and protest on a number of occasions, and we’ve seen the Iranian authorities brutally crack down on those protests. So I don’t think there’s any doubt that there’s discontent about the regime’s rule and the regime’s willingness to crack down and try and keep that discontent from bubbling up.
Go ahead. I’ll come to you next.
QUESTION: The 30 days notification by the U.S. State Department to the U.S. Congress on sale of drones to India has passed yesterday. What the next steps in that? Do you know?
MR MILLER: I will have to take that and get back to you. I wasn’t aware that, that date had passed.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR MILLER: Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you. I have two questions on Gaza. First, on Israeli investigations – at recent briefings, you have urged a lot of investigations into a lot of issues. I wanted to follow up on two of these. You have urged for investigation into the sexual violence allegations, sexual assault allegations against Palestinian women, and the killing of Hind Rajab. Do you have any updates on those, any —
MR MILLER: I – oh, sorry.
QUESTION: Have you heard back from any of these?
MR MILLER: I don’t have an update. I don’t know if we have. I’m happy to check, I’m just personally not aware with respect to that one.
QUESTION: And the second question, on have you seen the reports of Israeli war planes bombing a makeshift cemetery in Sunday built near the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza? Have you seen those reports? Do you —
MR MILLER: I have seen the reports. I haven’t been able to – we have not been able to verify them, but as we have said a number of times, it is important that Israel conduct this campaign in full compliance with international humanitarian law.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Shehbaz Sharif has been elected as the new prime minister of Pakistan. Would you like to comment on your expectations for bilateral relations with Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif?
MR MILLER: So I’m not going to speak with respect to the new prime minister, but as we’ve said before, we value our longstanding partnership with Pakistan and have always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to United States-Pakistan interests, and our engagement with new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his government will continue to focus on advancing these shared interests.
QUESTION: Sir, Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has been elected as the chief minister of the key province of Punjab in Pakistan, the country’s first woman to hold the post. Despite facing fabricated cases and spending time behind bars, she emerged as the winner and the first woman chief minister of Punjab. In your opinion, how does her historic election signify progress for women’s representation in Pakistani politics?
MR MILLER: So her selection as chief minister is a milestone in Pakistani politics. We look forward to cooperating with Pakistan more broadly on integrating women more fully into the country’s political life, in the economy, including through the U.S.-Pakistan Women’s Council, civil society, and other decision making spaces. An inclusive Pakistan makes for a strong, prosperous country which all Pakistanis benefit from, and so we are always pleased when we see cracks in the glass ceiling anywhere in the world.
QUESTION: Follow-up.
MR MILLER: Go ahead – no, go ahead. Go ahead first. Yeah. I’ll come to you —
QUESTION: Yes. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein is in Beirut today.
MR MILLER: I – he does not work for the State Department. He works for the White House, so I will defer to them for comment on Amos’s travel.
QUESTION: But the ambassador with him in his meeting with officials.
MR MILLER: Again – again, I’m going to defer to the White House for comment on a – the travel of a White House official, but Amos Hochstein has been engaged, as have people at the State Department, on trying to achieve a diplomatic resolution to the situation in the north of Israel.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR MILLER: I’ll come to you next.
QUESTION: Yes. You just called my colleague that Maryam Nawaz Sharif was a milestone, becoming the first female chief minister of Pakistan. Has —
MR MILLER: Of Punjab. Of Punjab.
QUESTION: Of Punjab, yeah.
MR MILLER: Of Punjab.
QUESTION: Prime – we have had a prime minister, female, Benazir Bhutto, if you remember.
MR MILLER: I do. That does not —
QUESTION: She was a milestone too.
MR MILLER: I do. She absolutely was. It in no way changes this accomplishment.
QUESTION: But you know Maryam Nawaz Sharif was caught in the supreme court of Pakistan —
MR MILLER: Do you have a question?
QUESTION: No, but are you aware that Maryam Nawaz was caught in the supreme court by presenting a fake Calibri font as well?
MR MILLER: I am not going to get into those underlying details. It’s a matter for Pakistan, but we do believe her selection as chief minister is a milestone for Pakistan (inaudible).
QUESTION: Just one more question. One more question. Human rights – United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Mr. Richard Bennett urged countries to initiate a case against Taliban over women rights. Last week, Karine and you spoke about having a inclusive government, but the women rights are totally forgotten. Can the U.S. at least urge – like, be a part of this case? Because this is a very general case. Millions of girls just across the border from Pakistan are – have been without education for two years now.
MR MILLER: So I can’t speak to the specific case that you’re referring to because I’m not aware of it, but of course we have said it many times that the treatment of women and girls inside Afghanistan is deplorable.
Humeyra, you had something.
QUESTION: Yeah.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. Just to go back to a couple of Israel-Gaza related stuff, so about Erez or the third border crossing opening, given your comments at the top about the urgency and how severe the situation is, what is the sticking point with the Israeli Government?
MR MILLER: I’m not going to get into our private conversations, but it’s a matter that we are engaged with them on. I will let them speak for themselves. We think it needs to open urgently.
QUESTION: Okay. And just to push you a little bit more on that, given you think it needs to open urgently, can you give a timeline on like days, weeks?
MR MILLER: I can’t because it’s not a decision that needs to be made by the United States Government; it’s one that needs to be – that can – has to be made by the Government of Israel. I can’t speak for them, but we continue to urge them to open it as soon as possible.
QUESTION: Okay. And on Benny Gantz, following up from colleagues, do you think, like, given that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not happy with this particular trip – and I know the Secretary has seen Benny Gantz on several occasions in our trips – do you think that dispute with Netanyahu actually reduces his effectiveness in – for U.S. to push, like, on aid situation and – does that under – does that trip undercut his impact, his effectiveness?
MR MILLER: I am not going to make assessments about the varying levels effectiveness – of effectiveness of any member of the —
QUESTION: Well, you guys are meeting with him.
MR MILLER: — of any member of the Government of Israel. But, that said, he is one of three members of the war cabinet, plays an important role inside the government. That’s why we’re meeting with him. It’s the same reason why the Secretary talked to Ron Dermer, minister for strategic affairs and an advisory member of the war cabinet, today because there are a number of issues that we need to urgently engage with them on. And so that’s what we’re doing.
QUESTION: Okay. A couple of little things on CHIRG. You – you have said a few weeks ago that U.S. has begun reviewing reports that Israel may have harmed civilians in its war in Gaza under the CHIRG process specifically, and I know that you did say that this is not a process that is going to yield results right away, but I still would like to check back in and ask. We know that there are dozens, if not more, a number of – dozens of incidents that are being reviewed. Have any of them moved to stage two? Has – have the – has this building made any determination that yes, U.S. weapons were used in incident XYZ and that caused civilian harm, and Israeli military was at fault in this particular incidence?
MR MILLER: Those reviews are ongoing. None of them have been concluded, and I’m not going to offer kind of preliminary assessments as they move through the process.
QUESTION: Right. And final one. Do you have a better understanding – does this building have a better understanding on what it would do when it reaches – when and if it reaches that assessment? What is the next step of that review?
MR MILLER: It —
QUESTION: You should know that because, I mean, that’s the whole point of conducting that review, right?
MR MILLER: It totally depends on the circumstances. And given that’s a variety of different cases with different circumstances, I wouldn’t want to speculate.
Go ahead in the back, and then we’ll wrap.
QUESTION: At least some recent report by United Nation there was a significant funding gap for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, more than $2 billion. Can you elaborate how does the United States plan to contribute to alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan?
MR MILLER: So the United States remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan. One way we continue to do that is to address underlying macroeconomic issues, which will provide necessary stability for the current humanitarian response to be more effective and will help alleviate many of the issues that fuel the humanitarian crisis we see in Afghanistan today. And we also remain the single largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, includes providing over $2 billion in lifesaving and sustaining assistance to the Afghan people since August of 2021.
With that, we’ll wrap for – yeah, go ahead. Shaun, and then we’ll —
QUESTION: Just one on Zimbabwe.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: The announcement this morning. I was wondering if you could expand a little bit about the thinking about doing this, about having the targeted – I mean, I realize the Secretary has a statement, but having targeted sanctions against the president and others. Some, including the Zimbabwean Government, are actually saying this is a victory, saying that the sanctions regime has been – in 2003 is over. Is this half full? Half empty? How are you —
MR MILLER: It’s rare that you see a government say that sanctions on the sitting president is a victory for the government. So I won’t – I don’t think – I’ll let that one slide.
With the transition, we are focusing our sanctions policy on Zimbabwe now to actively target those who are currently engaged in human rights abuses and corruption. So there were a number – under the old sanctions regime, which had been in place for 20 years, actually over 20 years at this point, there were a number of sanctions in place on people who were no longer in government, some of whom were deceased. So we thought it important to update our policy and focus on those who are currently engaged in human rights abuses and corruption, including the sitting president.
QUESTION: Do you have a rough number how many were – will be taken off as a result?
MR MILLER: I don’t know, sorry. All right, with that I’ll —
QUESTION: On (inaudible) Pope Francis?
MR MILLER: Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you, appreciate it. Good afternoon, by the way.
MR MILLER: Yes.
QUESTION: So on Sunday, yesterday, Pope Francis, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza so the hostages can be freed and civilians can get aid. He said, quote, “Enough, please! Stop!” Does the State Department believe that the pope’s urgent plea can help secure a ceasefire in Gaza?
MR MILLER: So we believe there ought to be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that brings the hostages out, that alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and that’s what we are advocating for. There is a deal on the table that would deliver all of those things; Hamas just needs to accept it.
With that, we’ll wrap for the day.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:12 p.m.)
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