Several journalists who are outspoken critics of American support for Israel loudly lambasted outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his final press conference at the State Department.

Axar.az reports that American journalist Max Blumenthal interrupted Blinken’s remarks at the beginning of the briefing and said 300 reporters in Gaza were targeted by US bombs.

"Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May, we all knew we had a deal. Everyone in this room knows we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing.Why did you allow my friends to be massacred?" shouted Blumenthal before he was escorted out.

Continuing his remarks, Blinken was later confronted by another journalist on the same topic.

Criminal! Why aren’t you in The Hague?” shouted Mr Sam Husseini.

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

"Get your hands off me.I was sitting here quietly and now I am being manhandled by two or three people.You pontificate about a free press?"

At the press conference, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, commented on the events, saying that he did not know enough about the details of this particular incident but emphasized that all nations are expected to respect the rights of journalists.

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