Chaos Unfolds as Journalists Are Forcibly Removed from Blinken’s Final Press Conference [WATCH]

Tensions flared at Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference on Thursday following the announcement of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The briefing, held at the State Department, descended into chaos as reporters interrupted Blinken and accused the U.S. of enabling alleged atrocities in Gaza.

State Department staff removed two journalists from the event, escalating the already heated atmosphere.

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Max Blumenthal, a journalist from Grayzone News, and independent reporter Sam Husseini were forcibly removed from the briefing room after confronting Blinken about the conflict.

Blumenthal interrupted Blinken, demanding to know, “Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May? Why did you allow my friends’ homes in Gaza to be destroyed?”

Husseini was more vocal, shouting, “Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague!” as security guards carried him out.

Video footage posted on X (formerly Twitter) shows Husseini yelling, “You pontificate about a free press! I am asking questions after being told by [spokesman] Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions.”

Sam Husseini forcibly removed from the briefing room after interrupting Blinken’s final press conference. @TheNationalNews pic.twitter.com/xw5ulrYhPA

— Willy Lowry (@willy_lowry) January 16, 2025

Reporter @samhusseini was just physically dragged from Blinken’s briefing. “Why aren’t you at The Hague?” he asked. pic.twitter.com/Nvs10aFjgh

— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) January 16, 2025

Meanwhile, in Biden’s farewell address, he said ‘the free press is crumbling.’

You can’t make this sh*t up!

In his farewell address, Biden laments the “crumbling of a free press” and claims that “social media is abandoning fact-checking,” emphasizing the need to hold social media platforms accountable.

This is the same guy whose administration pressured… pic.twitter.com/HljI6HR8nd

— I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) January 16, 2025

Husseini later claimed on his X account that he was handcuffed and subjected to “completely excessive force.”

Following this I tried to ask a series of questions. Was carried out and handcuffed. Completely excessive force. More to come via https://t.co/1g6Rgv6VA6. https://t.co/WpEf1pP5RQ

— Sam Husseini (@samhusseini) January 16, 2025

Blinken had attempted to calm the situation, urging Husseini to “respect the process” and promising to take questions after his remarks.

Husseini retorted, “Everybody from Amnesty International to the ICJ [International Court of Justice] is saying that Israel is doing genocide and extermination, and you’re telling me to respect the process?”

The tentative cease-fire agreement, brokered after months of negotiations, is set to take effect on Sunday.

It includes a 42-day truce during which Israeli and American hostages will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Thirty-three of the 100 hostages — seven of whom are Americans — will be freed in the initial phase.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw from Gaza, allowing humanitarian aid to enter the region.

Reconstruction efforts for destroyed buildings are expected to take several years.

The Knesset is scheduled to vote on the deal on Friday, an Israeli official confirmed to CNN.

The agreement was nearly derailed as Hamas pushed for the release of prisoners accused of murder.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced internal pressure from his coalition to continue the war until Hamas was completely dismantled.

The cease-fire follows 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas, which began after the terrorist group’s October 7, 2023, massacre that killed 1,200 people, including 46 Americans.

The attack marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

While the cease-fire represents a significant step, the Biden administration has faced criticism for its handling of the conflict.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated in May 2024, “We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide,” but added, “Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and well-being of innocent civilians.”

Blinken also agreed with a preliminary State Department report assessing that Israel may have violated international humanitarian law during its operations in Gaza.

In January 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel was not doing enough to prevent “genocide” against Palestinians but stopped short of demanding an immediate cease-fire.

This decision has added to the contentious global debate over the conflict.

The cease-fire agreement comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House on Monday.

The timing of the deal and the chaotic press conference highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding the U.S. role in mediating the conflict.

As hostages are released and rebuilding begins, questions about accountability and long-term stability remain.

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