A crowd of pro-Palestinian supporters calling for Gaza ceasefire interrupted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a Senate hearing on Tuesday. Several people in the audience yelled Ceasefire now! as Blinken was giving a testimony at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were appealing to the Senate Appropriations Committee for billions of dollars in military assistance to support Israel, Ukraine and other security costs when the protestor interrupted them one by one.🚨🇵🇸 Protestors for DISRUPT Secretary of State Blinken over Israels war on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/k8l1zTMBGP— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) October 31, 2023Pro-Palestine protesters Numerous people also raised their colour painted hands as a symbol of the bloodshed in Gaza since Israel started its air strikes on the Palestinian territory after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel earlier this month.Messages such as “Free Gaza” were written on their arms with some holding placards that read No more $$$ 4 Israel, while others shouted, “Ceasefire now.” Some even yelled Palestinians are not animals and Shame on you all,” at the event.Every time one of these protesters was escorted out by the police, Blinken would resume speaking only to be interrupted sometime later by another protester.They also blamed the US government for the crisis that going on in the Middle East and argued that the administration had blood on its hands for its support of Israel.Anthony Blinken says… However, towards the end of his speech, Blinken acknowledged the protesters and “the passions expressed in this room”.All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life. All of us know the suffering that is taking place as we speak, all of us are determined to see it end, he said.He also reiterated the USs support for its allies and said that the US will always stand with them.Blinken and Austin are currently lobbying for lawmakers to support President Joe Bidens national security package for war which is more than $105 billion in security spending, including $14.3 billion for its staunch ally Israel.On Tuesday the Israeli military and Hamas were engaged in a fierce battle in Gaza, Israels military said. Tanks and armoured bulldozers advanced through the ruins of the territory that the UN said was facing a humanitarian catastrophe.
