Article Index
1:14 p.m. EST
MR MILLER: All right, everyone. I don’t have anything for the top, so —
QUESTION: Really?
MR MILLER: — Matt, you want to —
QUESTION: You don’t have anything at the top?
MR MILLER: You have – I have – calling on you counts as something. So —
QUESTION: There’s a lot going on. Well, yeah, not much. All right. I —
MR MILLER: That’s your assessment, not mine. I don’t share that assessment.
QUESTION: I got several – I have several brief ones, in alphabetical order, but – and my colleagues should feel free to interrupt if they have anything on these. My alphabetical order are Haiti, Houthis, and Gaza.
MR MILLER: Okay.
QUESTION: Starting with Haiti, what is the situation with Prime Minister Henry. There – the report that you guys wanted – you guys want him out, is that correct? I understand that your ambassador to the UN spoke to this earlier, but wondering what you have to say about it.
MR MILLER: So let me start by just saying generally the United States has long worked with CARICOM and Haitian leaders on the path to restoring democratic order in Haiti through free and fair elections, inclusive governance, and power sharing, which will give them the opportunity to democratically elect a prime minister. And as the situation on the ground grows increasingly dire, we and CARICOM have continued to call on stakeholders, including the prime minister, to make concessions in the interest of the Haitian people.
So we are not calling on him or pushing for him to resign, but we are urging him to expedite the transition to an empowered and inclusive governance structure that will move with urgency to help the country prepare for a multinational security support mission to address the security situation and pave the way for free and fair elections.
QUESTION: Okay. So what’s your understanding of where he is now and his efforts to get back to the country?
MR MILLER: So I will let him speak to his travel plans and his location.
QUESTION: All right. Well, look, the U.S. has a long and very difficult history with Haiti and going back long before you or I were born, decades, and decades, and decades. But also in my time at the State Department, I was there when you guys organized the, quote/unquote, “evacuation” of the prime minister. So how far are you guys prepared to go in pushing or telling Prime Minister Henry that he needs to either start the transition or get out of the way so that the transition can start?
MR MILLER: So we are going to continue to work with CARICOM, because I think it’s important to make clear that it’s not the United States acting alone in this – with this regard. It’s the United States in consultation with partners in the region are having these conversations. And what we are saying to the prime minister is that he needs to expedite the transition to an empowered and inclusive governance, including the appointment of a transition council. So that’s what we’ll continue to discuss with him.
QUESTION: All right. If anyone else has anything on Haiti —
QUESTION: Can I ask a couple things on —
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: I know you’re not confirming his whereabouts, but is he welcome in the United States? I mean, can Prime Minister Henry stay in the United States and U.S. territory?
MR MILLER: I’m just – I am just not going to speak to his travel plans at all. I think it’s appropriate for him to make those announcements.
QUESTION: Sure. And also, I mean, the – can you flesh it out a little bit more? To a new governance structure – is that something – is there something concrete that’s in mind? I mean, there’s obviously ideas from CARICOM and elsewhere, but is there some sort of a concrete plan or this more just generally speaking that something needs to change?
MR MILLER: I don’t want to speak to it in detail from here, because it’s something we’re in conversation with partners in the region about at this time. But we have always been clear that there needs to be a transition to free and fair elections in Haiti, and we have been clear that we need to see the deployment of a multinational security support mission to address the dire security situation on the ground. So we are continuing to work through both of those things. We are making progress on deploying the MSS; we want to see that happen as soon as possible. And we’re also in – as I said, in conversation with partners in the region about how to transition back to the path to democracy.
QUESTION: And just one more. The new governance structure – is that – and the elections, I mean this – the call for elections – is that – do those go in tandem? Is there an idea that you need to have elections to have this new governance structure? Is there any idea that there needs to be something that changes right now even before —
MR MILLER: I just don’t want to get into details. But of course we are looking to get to – on – back on the path to elections in the country, as well as to security.
QUESTION: Go ahead.
QUESTION: There’s no more on Haiti? I just want to go to the Houthis.
MR MILLER: The Houthis?
QUESTION: And you’ve seen that there’s been – CENTCOM has put out a statement about fatalities. These are apparently the first fatalities. Do you have anything to say about this incident?
MR MILLER: So I think that it was, sadly, inevitable. The Houthis have continued to launch these reckless attacks with no regard for the well-being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea. And now they have, unfortunately and tragically, killed innocent civilians. And so the United States will continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, which have not just disrupted international commerce, not just disrupted the freedom of navigation in international waters, and not just endangered seafarers, but now, tragically, killed a number of them. So we will continue to hold them accountable, and we call on governments around the world to do the same.
Anything else?
QUESTION: No. I’ll let other people go on Gaza.
MR MILLER: Okay.
QUESTION: Do you want to step in or —
QUESTION: Just a little bit.
QUESTION: Go ahead.
MR MILLER: It’s just so —
QUESTION: Just one more thing on the Houthis.
MR MILLER: I’m sort of – it’s so weird.
QUESTION: So cooperative.
MR MILLER: Like, the two of you guys, like, collaborating or maybe conspiring. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Well, why not? Great. When you say we’ll continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, should we expect, like, a new wave of U.S. retaliatory attacks from here in a way that we’ve saw – we’ve seen three weeks ago, or what is that that you’re referring to?
MR MILLER: I am just – I am not going to preview actions that we will take from this podium, as is always the case.
QUESTION: Okay. I’ll go to Gaza in that case.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Just —
QUESTION: Oh, sure. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Just briefly one more.
MR MILLER: Comity.
QUESTION: We’re being very polite. I mean, just the flipside of what Humeyra asked – I mean, does this show a failure, for lack of another term, of deterrence? I mean, there have been these strikes from the U.S. and the UK and others on Houthi targets. Does this show it’s not working and that there needs to be a new strategy?
MR MILLER: Look, we have always made clear that this is going to be a long-term process, both to deter the Houthi attacks and to degrade their capabilities to carry them out, and that’s a process that is continuing. At the same time, we continue to talk to partners in the region about how they ought to make clear to the Houthis that these attacks are irresponsible, that they endanger international commerce, and that they hurt the economies of countries in the region as well as countries around the world. So it’s something that we will continue to push, not just on behalf of the United States but on behalf of the coalition that we have assembled to oppose the Houthis’ actions, and again, to collaborate with other countries in the world who share those interests.
QUESTION: Go ahead.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Okay. On Gaza ceasefire, Matt, yesterday you said that U.S. believes that the obstacles at the moment are not insurmountable. How would you describe the talks today, given that there’s still no breakthrough, and it’s day three and it’s at a very critical week?
MR MILLER: So I’m not going to give a day-by-day assessment of the talks, but the over —
QUESTION: Gazans live day by day.
MR MILLER: But the overall assessment that I offered yesterday has not – we still – we continue to believe that the obstacles are not insurmountable and that a deal can be reached and a deal is in the interest of Israel, it’s in the interest of the Palestinian people, and it’s in the interest of the broader region. So we’re going to continue to push for one, but I’m not going to offer an assessment of where things stand today.
QUESTION: So you wouldn’t describe the talks as they’re at an impasse?
MR MILLER: They are ongoing. No.
QUESTION: Right. And what is the U.S. understanding that the biggest sticking point is at the moment?
MR MILLER: Nice try, but you know I’m not going to answer that one. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: And would you say that it is right now up to Hamas or Israel or both of them – which one – to basically accept the deal? Or is – it’s not like that; it is something that they have to —
MR MILLER: So it is a negotiation. It’s an ongoing process. But the point that you have heard me make and that you have heard the Secretary and other leaders of the administration make over the past few days is that Israel put a serious proposal on the table, and it’s for Hamas to accept it; it’s also for Hamas to engage in good faith and show that they actually want to get a deal, and we’re going to continue to engage on good faith on our behalf and continue to try to get a deal over the finish line.
QUESTION: Have you seen in recent days that Hamas is not engaging in good faith —
MR MILLER: So —
QUESTION: — and they actually don’t want a deal?
MR MILLER: So I think that I – it’s hard to ever offer an assessment that a terrorist organization that attacks innocent civilians is acting —
QUESTION: Sure, but they’re —
MR MILLER: — is acting wholly in good faith, but it is a negotiation, and I don’t want to comment on the underlying negotiation.
Go ahead, Tom, and then I’ll come to you next, Said.
QUESTION: The World Health Organization said yesterday that its officials had visited Shifa Hospital, where there were treatment – there was the treatment of 50 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In Kamal Adwan Hospital, 10 children had reportedly died from hunger and dehydration in recent days, and that it was overwhelmed by patients. They say the current rate of 15 percent of wasting among children under the age of two in northern Gaza suggests a serious and rapid decline. Such a decline in a population’s nutritional status in three months is unprecedented globally. I mean, you know about this situation, so what is being done to alleviate this?
MR MILLER: So first of all, let me say that those reports, which we saw and reviewed, are obviously heartbreaking, and it confirms what you heard the Secretary say yesterday – that not only is the situation on the ground right now in Gaza unacceptable, but it’s unsustainable. It cannot continue this way. And so you have seen the United States take action to air drop food supplies in. You have seen us take action to fund the delivery of humanitarian assistance. You have seen us announce that we are exploring a maritime option to deliver humanitarian assistance through new routes. But it still is incumbent upon the Government of Israel to do more as well.
Now, we did see an increase in the number of trucks that went into Israel[1] yesterday – around 250, 260 trucks made it in through Rafah and Kerem Shalom. That’s an improvement over where we have been. We have seen some improvement in the distribution, but we need to see dramatically more go in. We need to see it go in not just through Rafah and Kerem Shalom, but we need to see it go in through a crossing in the north. And we have made very clear to the Government of Israel that’s what we expect and that we expect to see improvement, and as the President said, there can be no excuses.
QUESTION: And he said that on Friday. The Vice President’s repeated it. We heard from the Secretary of State yesterday a similar message, insisting that Israel facilitate some more aid, and yet yesterday 14 World Food Programme trucks were blocked by the Israelis going to the north of Gaza. So they’re not listening.
MR MILLER: So I can’t speak to that specific report of trucks being blocked. Sometimes trucks are blocked for legitimate reasons; sometimes they’re blocked for less than legitimate reasons. We want to see trucks move all around, and there needs to be a security situation that allows them to move, and that’s one of the difficult things that we have tried to work through.
So what I’ll say is the messages that you ticked through that you heard the President, and the Vice President, and the Secretary deliver publicly, I can assure you that we are delivering those messages every bit as clearly privately with Israel as well, and we expect to see action.
Said.
QUESTION: Thank you. Thank you, Matt. Just to follow up on Tom’s referencing of the hospitals. I mean, of Gaza’s 33 hospitals before that were fully operational before October 7th, there are now three that are semi-functional and so on. That’s creating a really horrific situation. And we talk about the food and the starvation and so on, but is there any way – I don’t have any ideas, but – is there any way to actually make these hospitals more functional and able to care for more people, especially children?
MR MILLER: So the best way to achieve that goal, which is very much a goal that we have, would be to reach a deal for an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks and would allow for a cessation in hostilities, would allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, would allow for people inside Gaza to move around, both doctors and patients and those who just need to seek medical care. That would be the best route to reach that objective, and it’s one that we are continuing to pursue.
QUESTION: So six weeks would probably be a nice respite for the people and for everybody involved, but it also presumes that the fighting will continue thereafter for whatever reason after the end of the six weeks, especially in light of what you alluded to yesterday, that you support Israel in its pursuit of the defeat of Hamas and so on. And what we see 150 days after this war began, we see that the fighting is still going, Hamas is not defeated; by the best analysis, it has been degraded somewhat, maybe 30 percent, 20 percent, whatever it is. So conceivably this war can go on for another year.
MR MILLER: So we have always said that we want to see this conflict end as soon as possible. We want to get a temporary ceasefire to alleviate the humanitarian situation and get the hostages home, but it is our goal to end the conflict completely, and to end it as soon as possible, and, as you have heard me say before, Hamas bears a lot of responsibility for the conflict continuing to be waged. Hamas could come forward and surrender, they could come forward and swear off violence, they could put their arms down. And one of the things that we would very much try to pursue in the event of a humanitarian ceasefire would be the demilitarization of Gaza and the demilitarization of Hamas. And we are – it’s something that we will consult with – that we have been consulting and will continue to consult with partners in the region about. Because for all that – for all that Israel has done in this conflict, and the – and all it has done to bring Hamas terrorists to justice, Hamas does bear a lot of responsibility for the conflict ongoing. So if we are able to get a ceasefire, it is very much something that we will pursue.
QUESTION: I understand, but you’re saying that you want Hamas to surrender – that is, I mean, is there really serious thinking that this is actually going to happen? I mean, considering that the Palestinians have been waging some sort of an armed struggle against Israel for the past 75 years. I mean, they take – they go from Beirut to (inaudible) to Jordan to places like this, but it goes on in the West Bank and so on. Is there really expectation that the Palestinians will give up the notion of getting their rights or – getting their rights; in the absence of the world doing anything about granting them their rights, that they have to do it on their own?
MR MILLER: So we do not want the Palestinians to give up their rights. In fact, you have seen the Secretary and the President pushing very hard for a two-state solution that would create an independent Palestinian state, and would answer the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.
But to this question about Hamas, when you’ve seen 30,000 Palestinians killed, why wouldn’t they lay down their arms and stop that bloodshed? Why wouldn’t they lay down their arms and stop the war? If they truly care about the thousands and thousands of civilians who have been killed in a war that Hamas started – so remember who started this war – if that was in their real interest, the well-being of the Palestinian people, I’m hard-pressed to answer why they wouldn’t lay down their arms and pursue a demilitarization option when you have the United States and other countries in the region saying we are prepared to step forward and work on a legitimate political path forward for the Palestinian people – not one that’s brought about by terrorism, not one that’s brought about by violence, but a legitimate political path that leads to an independent Palestinian state.
QUESTION: And lastly – I’m sorry, but just to push this point a bit further – the Palestinians basically said okay, we lay down our arms; they’ve done it time and time again. They recognize Israel. They sign treaties and so on with them —
MR MILLER: Hamas has not done it.
QUESTION: Hamas said they will abide by the – I mean, let’s not – it’s a very complex issue.
MR MILLER: Hamas won’t even sign up to the principles of the PLO, so.
QUESTION: But I’m saying that – what we’re saying is there has been a Palestinian effort that has failed. I mean, people look – whether it’s Hamas or somebody else – they look at 30 years of efforts to arrive at the resolution that the United States has signed to and in fact sponsored in 1993. No? And it has gone nowhere. We see the settlements expand. We see the occupation become more violent against the Palestinians. People are more imprisoned and so on.
MR MILLER: So if people continue to look at the past and only the past that has happened for decades and decades without being willing to sign on to a positive vision of the future, we will never have a peaceful way out of this conflict – not just the current conflict in Gaza, but an actual resolution to the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestinians.
QUESTION: Well – but the problem with that, Matt, is that you have called for in every single conflict around the world there to be accountability for things that have happened in the past, and now you’re saying, oh, well, just forget about it.
MR MILLER: No. That’s not – my point is there has to be at some point a political reconciliation. And so I think Said’s point was why would Hamas agree to lay down arms when we have seen grievance after gradience go on for decades. And the point that we have made – and you’ve heard this – the Secretary speak to this a number of times —
QUESTION: Fair enough, but —
MR MILLER: Ultimately there are two paths. There is – you can continue down this path where we talk about what happened decades and decades ago and try to address that with – through violent activities, or we can have a peaceful resolution to this. And of course you —
QUESTION: But —
MR MILLER: Of course, there’s a process for addressing legitimate grievances through that process. But what I am saying, and the point that we have made, is continuing to carry out violence as the solution to decades-old grievances —
QUESTION: Legitimate gradiences.
MR MILLER: — is a path – is a path to continued conflict and a never-ending cycle that does not advance the interests of the Palestinian people.
QUESTION: But you’re talking about addressing legitimate grievances from the past, right?
MR MILLER: Yes. And my point is through violence will just lead you in this never-ending cycle that we – that the region has been in for decades.
QUESTION: Okay.
QUESTION: Can I follow up on Said’s point?
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: I mean, because you said that why wouldn’t Hamas look at the numbers of dead – 30,000 – and effectively surrender, but that almost suggests or implies that the numbers killed creates a political or military pressure on Hamas to do so. But you’ve always said that any civilian death is unacceptable.
MR MILLER: That’s – that is not – that’s not my implication. That’s not my implication at all. Any civilian death is unacceptable.
QUESTION: But you connected those two issues —
MR MILLER: No, I —
QUESTION: — that if Hamas surrender – Hamas looking at the number of dead, why would they not surrender?
MR MILLER: This – any – hold on. It is not – it is – it is not the implication. I don’t think that’s a fair reading of what I’m saying. My – every civilian death is unacceptable. The point is that Hamas surrendering would end the conflict, and would end the civilian causalities that have unfortunately happened since October 7th.
Go ahead. I’m sorry, Jenny. Go.
QUESTION: So I just want to clarify: The Israeli Government has told you that if Sinwar was to purely surrender, that would be sufficient to end the war?
MR MILLER: I – so I’m not going to get into our – the conversations that we’ve had, but obviously if Hamas surrendered and laid down its arms that would be an end to the conflict.
QUESTION: Including Sinwar?
MR MILLER: That – he is the leader of Hamas in Gaza.
QUESTION: So it’s sufficient for them.
MR MILLER: So I am not – I am not going to speak on behalf of the Israeli Government, but obviously when you have one side of a conflict stop fighting and lay down its arms, that brings about an end to the conflict.
QUESTION: Okay. And I want to push you on some of the many things the U.S. Government has called on Israel to investigate. Do you have any updates on the convoy shooting into the air, into the crowd, that —
MR MILLER: That investigation is ongoing, is our understanding. They have announced preliminary results. I know they’ve announced those publicly, and they’ve briefed them to us privately as well. But the fuller investigation is still ongoing.
QUESTION: And then on the investigations into the two American teenagers who were killed in the West Bank? What is the —
MR MILLER: Those investigations are also going – ongoing. But we should be clear, only one of those is an Israeli-conducted investigation. The other is being conducted by Palestinian law enforcement authorities because of where that killing took place in the West Bank.
QUESTION: And the CHIRG process, have there been any conclusions there?
MR MILLER: It’s ongoing. Yeah.
QUESTION: Please follow up —
QUESTION: I – just —
MR MILLER: Sorry, Humeyra.
QUESTION: Just on the investigations —
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Just two others specifically. The one – the implosion of the university in Gaza?
MR MILLER: I don’t – I don’t have any new information to report from the Israeli Government.
QUESTION: And what about the incident that happened a couple months ago in which the – Israeli agents went into the hospital, went room by room and —
MR MILLER: I’ll have – I’ll have to check to see if we have any updates on it.
QUESTION: — basically killed people?
MR MILLER: I’ll have to check and get back to you and see if we have any updates.
QUESTION: So —
MR MILLER: Oh, sorry. Humeyra and then —
QUESTION: — just one further – on this – on these investigations, when was the first time that State Department or the administration has launched one of these investigations in an incident like this?
MR MILLER: Do you mean —
QUESTION: Do you remember?
MR MILLER: Are you speaking with respect to the CHIRG process which is not something I would describe as an investigation?
QUESTION: Not necessarily CHIRG, but like all of these investigations: the university, the hospital, West Bank.
MR MILLER: So a little bit of conflation. Those are investigations that are being conducted either by Israeli authorities, or in one of these cases, by the Palestinian law enforcement authorities.
QUESTION: Right. So I’m just trying to get a sense of what U.S.’s expectation of how long those investigations will last, and what is your mechanism to really follow up on the result of the investigation. And —
MR MILLER: So it depends on the circumstances. There are things that the Israeli Government has looked into at our request where they have come back and reported to us either that – I’ve talked about this some before. Like, we’ve gone and asked them about specific strikes, and they have come back to us and said we were targeting this specific strike where there were reports of civilian casualties because there was a legitimate military target. And sometimes they’re able to tell us who – the name of that legitimate military target who is there. At other times, they have come back to us and told us that this strike that you asked us to look into, we were targeting one facility, and we mistakenly hit another facility. So we have gotten answers on a number of things that we have raised questions for.
With respect to other investigations, it’s different depending on the circumstance – for example, the killing of two American citizens in the West Bank, one of which is being conducted by the Israeli police, one of which is being conducted by Palestinian law enforcement. I can’t possibly give you a timetable on how long a police investigation takes, just as we can’t – local law enforcement in the United States can’t usually give you a timetable on how long an investigation is going to take because it depends on how they turn up leads and how they’re followed through and if they get breakthroughs.
What we do is ask for those investigations to be carried out as quickly as possible. We ask to be briefed on the results when it’s appropriate for us to be briefed on those results, and we ask that when there’s appropriate there be accountability.
QUESTION: Right. Can you then commit that U.S. will somehow follow up with the results of all of those investigations and ensure accountability? And can you think of one example that the situation has moved to that level since the beginning —
MR MILLER: There have been absolutely cases that we have raised with the Israeli Government about incidents targeting civilians in Gaza where they have come back to us and said that they made a mistake, and there have been times where they have talked about accountability for IDF forces. And I know at times they’ve talked publicly about accountability for members of the IDF who have done things that are inappropriate.
QUESTION: And let me just ask a question that we’ve asked before: Is there any process of atrocity determination or anything similar to that from this building looking into Israel – its military conduct?
MR MILLER: Again, we continue to collect information, monitor information. We collect information about specific incidents and examine that through the CHIRG process that we set up last year, but I don’t have any updates on that.
QUESTION: One last thing, sorry. On the ceasefire talks, you don’t agree that there at an impasse or you just don’t want to use that word, but what is the U.S. alternative if – because, I mean, the President talked about March the 4th a week ago. Ramadan, the start of Ramadan is fast approaching. If the talks are really at an impasse and they go south, does the U.S. have like an alternative plan and specifically regarding the aid situation? Because you’re relying so much on the establishment of this truce to get in more aid.
MR MILLER: So – yeah. So I disagree a little bit – or disagree with that quite a bit. So first of all, I don’t want to talk – speculate about a hypothetical. We are pushing for – I mean – and I mean not with respect to aid, but overall I don’t want to speculate about a hypothetical. We are pushing for a successful conclusion to these talks. We believe that’s possible and we’re going to continue to push for it.
Now, that said, we are not waiting for the outcome of these talks to push for an improvement in the humanitarian assistance – the humanitarian situation on the ground, and that’s why you’ve seen us take our own action already by launching air drops, which will continue. It’s why you see us exploring a maritime option that we are very much engaged in. And it’s why you see us pushing the Israeli Government at the seniormost levels. We are not waiting for the outcome of a hostage deal, and I think you heard this – the Secretary say this yesterday, that notwithstanding what happens with a hostage deal, the improvement in the humanitarian situation is something that needs to happen immediately.
QUESTION: Sorry, can you just – when you say that sometimes they’ve gotten back to you and said we were going for one target and hit the wrong one and we made a mistake, can you give one or two or three or – examples?
MR MILLER: I do not have them off the top of my head. This has been something that we’ve been in conversation with them back to the earliest days of this war.
QUESTION: Are you aware of any situation where they’ve come back to you and said we screwed this up?
MR MILLER: Of course. Yeah, of course.
QUESTION: And people have been held accountable?
MR MILLER: We have seen examples where they have come back to us and said people made a mistake —
QUESTION: Okay. Can you give me one or two?
MR MILLER: I don’t – I – no —
QUESTION: No, no, no. Not a mistake, like this was bad, this was something —
MR MILLER: We have seen examples where they have come to us and said they are holding members of the IDF accountable.
QUESTION: Can you give an example of one?
MR MILLER: I don’t have them off the top of my head, but you can also look, Matt. They have announced some of these publicly as well, and so it’s publicly available, but they have disciplined IDF members.
QUESTION: Yeah, but – okay, but I’m not talking – I’m talking about when they get back to you, because you guys are their prime supplier of weaponry and money. And so when you guys ask or demand an explanation for something, it should be – you should get an answer, right?
MR MILLER: We do get an answer now. It’s not always perfect, but we do get answers, and sometimes we want more information about those answers.
QUESTION: But if you can’t give – if you can’t give a single example of either —
MR MILLER: So I can’t – so Matt, this is something that’s been going on for five months, but I can say – remember, as I – so I’m not going —
QUESTION: Well, I understand that, but I’m not —
MR MILLER: Hold on. I’m not going to remember —
QUESTION: But I’m not looking for an exhaustive list.
MR MILLER: Hold on. I’m not going to remember every example.
QUESTION: I’m just asking – I’m asking for one example of either.
MR MILLER: And I’m telling you I can’t give you every example off the top of my head, but as I said, you can look publicly and find examples of this.
QUESTION: All right. All right.
MR MILLER: So you don’t have to take my word for it. They have announced publicly where they have disciplined IDF members for acting – for inappropriate actions that they have taken inside Gaza.
QUESTION: All right.
MR MILLER: Camilla, finally. Sorry. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Staying on this question, sorry.
MR MILLER: Don’t blame me, blame them.
QUESTION: You said to Jenny that the investigation’s still ongoing with the convoy. Last week it was notable that you topped the briefing with the incident of the convoy. I asked you yesterday about the apparent sticking point of a list – Israel wanting a list of names, Hamas saying they can’t get a list of names. Was the incident – the convoy incident last week, was that a significant reason for derailing the talks this time around?
MR MILLER: I’m just not going to – I am not going to speak at all to the status of the talks and how they’re going, but the talks have – are ongoing, so to the extent that they have been derailed or anything, I wouldn’t describe them as been – as having been derailed. They are ongoing and we continue to think a deal is possible.
QUESTION: And with the questions you’ve been getting about what happens if a deal is not reached soon and not enough aid gets in – if there are more incidents like what happened last week with the convoy being stormed, if that happens again and again, is there a concern that, again, this deal is getting further and further away from being achievable?
MR MILLER: So again, I don’t want to speak to hypotheticals, but the desperation of the Palestinian people continues, and people still are desperate for food and water and medicine. They’re desperate to feed their families. So the situation that we saw last week is something that we are concerned could be repeated, which is why we are continuing to push to get as much aid in as possible through as many channels as possible so, one, people have the food to feed their families; and two, as I said yesterday – I think it was yesterday – that when they see a convoy coming through, they don’t believe it’s the last chance they’re going to have to feed their families for a week or two weeks or a month.
Alex, go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. A couple of separate topics. Russian missile strike appeared to target President Zelenskyy today in Odesa and while he was meeting with Greek prime minister. This – let me get a reaction first. Also, did anyone reach out to Ukrainians or Greek side to discuss this?
MR MILLER: We are in constant contact with both of those countries. I don’t have any specific conversations to read out. I think the strike is yet another reminder of how Russia continues to strike Ukraine every single day, and it’s a reminder of Ukraine’s need for air defense interceptors, and it’s a reminder that the United States Congress needs to take action, as we have called on them to do, to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
QUESTION: Thank you. And while this was happening in Odesa, back in Sochi we saw the IAEA chief met with President Putin today. The pictures of him shaking hand with indicted war criminal is all over the place. Do you approve that meeting? Did he reach out to the U.S. side prior to the meeting? Is there any message that he’s conveying on behalf of —
MR MILLER: I just don’t have any comment on that meeting at all.
QUESTION: And may I move to Azerbaijan, please?
MR MILLER: Sure.
QUESTION: There’s a police raid against independent news outlet called Toplum TV. Let me get your reaction. And this, as you know, is part of the ongoing media crackdown in the country.
MR MILLER: So we are deeply troubled by the reports that Azerbaijani police raided the office of independent media outlet Toplum TV and by the reported arrests of multiple independent journalists and civil society activists in Azerbaijan today. We must express our strong objections to continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists, civil society voices, and opposition figures. We call on Azerbaijan to end the harassment of those exercising their fundamental freedoms and urge the release of all individuals being unjustly held in politically motivated cases. No one should face incarceration or other retribution for exercising freedom of expression.
QUESTION: Thank you for that. Let me press you a little bit on that, because strong objections have been expressed during previous raid against Abzas TV as well. That did not stop them; they arrested reporters. Why do you think they should draw a different conclusion this time?
MR MILLER: I think they should draw a different – so I will not speak to drawing different conclusions. What I will say is that they should stop these actions that crack down on free expression because it – doing so would be in the interest of their own people. So we will continue to make that clear. And I can assure you that when we have private diplomatic conversations with Azerbaijani officials, as the Secretary had occasion to do just last month, we make those same points privately.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR MILLER: Willy, go ahead.
QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. The two Americans detained in Gaza now a month ago and the woman in the West Bank – any further consular visits with them? The Israelis are saying it was on suspicious – suspicion of collaborating with Hamas. The family completely refutes that. Do you guys have any sense of where the truth is?
MR MILLER: So I’m not going to speak to an ongoing legal process. But with respect to the two who are detained in Gaza, we have had consular access to those two American citizens, and with respect to the American citizen that was arrested in the West Bank, we had consular access to her and she has now been released on bail.
Jenny, go ahead.
QUESTION: Matt, tomorrow Chairman McCaul has threatened to mark up a bill to keep – or put Blinken in contempt of Congress. Has there been any update on trying to appease his demands?
MR MILLER: So we have been in close, repeated consultation with the committee about this matter. As I’ve said before, we have done everything that we can to try and address their legitimate oversight needs. We have made 15 department officials or former department officials available for lengthy interviews about – throughout this process. We have turned over somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 pages of documents. So we have a – the need to protect legitimate Executive Branch equities. We recognize that Congress has a need to conduct legitimate oversight authorities, and so we’re in conversation with them. We are trying to resolve this amicably, as we have been successful in doing at previous points in the past year. And so we’ll continue to do that today and tomorrow.
QUESTION: Are you confident this will be resolved before tomorrow?
MR MILLER: All I will say is that we are hopeful it can be resolved, we’re doing everything we can to try to resolve it, and we’ll continue to do that.
QUESTION: And then on Afghanistan, are there any updates on the number of SIVs you guys have been able to get out now more than two years —
MR MILLER: So as you know, we invested a good deal of resources to ramp up our ability to grant SIV visas. In fact, in the last fiscal year, we were able to issue more than 39,000 SIVs. It was the record number of visas for principal applicants and their eligible family members. We’ve now given out a hundred – 117,000 SIVs since the passage of the Afghan Allies Protection Act in 2009, and more than 30 percent of that number came in just the past 28 months.
But we are at this point where because we made these investments in our ability to more quickly process these visas, that we have been issuing them at this record number – somewhere around now over 1,000 a month – and we are nearing the annual cap. So we’re going to hit the cap; we have somewhere around 8,000 left that we can process this fiscal year. We are clearly going to hit this cap, and we need statutory approval to raise the cap. We have urged Congress to raise the cap and allow us to meet our obligation to those Afghans who put their lives on the line for the United States, make sure that they are not forgotten. Congress has not acted yet, so we are urging them to do so, because we are going to hit that cap and we want to make sure that we can continue to grant as many of these visas as is appropriate and is possible.
Shaun.
QUESTION: Could I just revisit a question I asked yesterday about Maldives, whether you have a reply to – basically I asked – the Maldives after kicking out Indian forces – if there’s any concern about a defense deal with China.
MR MILLER: So we are tracking reports that the Government of Maldives has reached a military assistance agreement with the PRC. Maldives is a valued partner of the United States. Our countries share almost 60 years of partnership and a commitment to an Indo-Pacific region that is connected, secure, resilient, and prosperous, and we remain committed to strengthening our partnership with the Maldives across many spheres, including economic development, education, security cooperation, and climate change response.
QUESTION: And specifically on the Chinese defense deal, that’s all you’re going to say?
MR MILLER: So I would defer to the Government of Maldives for details or on the specific agreement. We see them as a valued partner and look forward to continuing to work with them.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. Two questions on Middle East. First, on humanitarian aid, yesterday you said that Israeli ministers are preventing aid deliveries, and this raises questions about the legality of U.S. military assistance to Israel. So I’m going to ask again: Is the U.S. still in the position of not considering cutting off military assistance to Israel?
MR MILLER: So while – what I meant in my comments yesterday: We have seen actions by specific ministers of the Israeli Government to try and block aid, but ultimately we’ve seen the Government of Israel take decisions to allow aid to go in. And so when we saw protesters blocking Kerem Shalom and preventing aid to go in, we saw the ministry of defense step in and declare that a military security area and send in military police to ensure that aid could reach. So while we’ve seen actions taken by members of the government that don’t support the provision of aid, ultimately the decisions of the government have been to allow aid in.
Now, that doesn’t – that doesn’t mean that it’s enough aid. There’s not enough aid, and Israel needs to do more, and so that’s why we continue to press them to do that.
QUESTION: So you don’t think Israel is deliberately preventing humanitarian aid entering to Gaza?
MR MILLER: So they have – they have made clear – they have said that they want to allow aid in, and they have allowed aid in. Now, that aid is not enough, and there needs to be more. There needs to be —
QUESTION: And is —
MR MILLER: There need to be additional crossings open, and there needs to be additional improvement and distribution. So that’s – those are the conversations we’ll continue to have with them.
QUESTION: And is there any further steps that the U.S. is planning to take in order to force Israeli Government to allow more aid in?
MR MILLER: So we are going to continue to have the – very frank and candid conversations with them about this matter.
QUESTION: Just a quick one.
MR MILLER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Do you have anything to say on Israeli Government approving plans for more than 3,400 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, since you view these last settlements illegal?
MR MILLER: Only that settlements continue to be a barrier to peace. These settlements continue to be inconsistent with international law. And so the point that we will make to the Government of Israel is that these settlements don’t just harm the Palestinian people, but that they ultimately weaken Israel’s security and weaken the prospects for a lasting agreement that would provide real peace and real security for the Israeli people.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Indian Prime Minister Modi greeted Shehbaz Sharif for his election as the new prime minister of Pakistan. How do you see this gesture of Indian prime minister as there are too many tensions between the two countries on several issues?
MR MILLER: So we of course welcome the prime minister’s statement. The United States values its relationship with both India and Pakistan, and we want to see them have a productive and peaceful relationship.
QUESTION: So would the U.S. welcome future talks between India and Pakistan on all issues, including Kashmir?
MR MILLER: Of course we would welcome productive and peaceful talks between India and Pakistan, but the pace, scope, and character of any dialogue is a matter for India and Pakistan to determine.
QUESTION: Sir, one last question. Sir, any updates from India on assassination attempt on Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun? You told us a month ago that State Department is waiting for the internal investigations of Indian Government on this. Any updates?
MR MILLER: My understanding is that investigation is ongoing.
Go ahead.
QUESTION: First question on Iran. Based on today’s report by Iranian judiciary, Iran seizes a U.S. cargo and oil tanker, which valued more than $50 million, over sanction. What’s your reaction on that?
MR MILLER: So the Iranian Government should immediately release the Advantage Sweet, the old tanker to which you refer. Iran has unlawfully seized a number of commercial vehicles sailing in the Middle East in recent years. Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights and freedoms in the region’s vital waterways is a threat to maritime security, regional stability, and the global economy.
QUESTION: Another question on Afghanistan. The new academic year in Afghanistan begin in two weeks, and for third years millions of women and girls are banned from school. And this meanwhile U.S. and UN are trying to engage with Taliban, regardless of their policy against human rights and educational rights. Is there any hope for Afghan girls to – back to school? Do you – can you estimate a time for that?
MR MILLER: So I cannot, unfortunately. We’re of course aware that this sad anniversary is coming up, and we have made it clear that girls should never have been blocked from going to school in the first place. Advancing respect for the rights of Afghan women and girls is critical to our efforts in Afghanistan. At every opportunity we urge the Taliban to allow girls to return to school, respect the rights of all Afghans, and reverse their discriminatory decrees on women and girls.
Go ahead, and then we’ll – oh, and then Guita, and then we’ll wrap.
QUESTION: Thank you very much, Matt. Just two questions, please. One question is, I want to give you an opportunity – you had again called Maryam Nawaz a milestone, and in 48 hours half a million people in Pakistan have said that Matt should take this milestone statement back because her father was corrupt – came out his name in Panama Papers; she has been accused of corruptions, and you are calling her milestone. So, I mean, I do not get half a million —
MR MILLER: I do not have any update on my comments —
QUESTION: Okay. Second question.
QUESTION: — from a couple of days ago.
QUESTION: Is today Mr. Javed Hashmi, who has been in politics for 56 years – and again, he was the president of the ruling party which Benazir – I mean Maryam Nawaz that you called milestone – he used to be president. Today he said that the situation in Pakistan has reached a point where the whole nation is in catastrophic situation. I mean, for the last one year, I personally have been – raised issues with you regarding human rights, women – mothers are dragged from the houses. Journalists are put in jail on likely ridiculous charges. It’s been one year. Why doesn’t the Secretary just pick up the phone and call the Pakistani establishment and the people to just settle on some things? Nobody is accepting this corrupt government.
MR MILLER: So we – let me go ahead and answer. So we have made clear publicly – you’ve heard me say from this podium many times, and we have made clear from – we have made clear in our private conversations that we want to see Pakistan respect the human rights of all of its citizens.
Guita, go ahead.
QUESTION: Matt, in answer to the question about Iran intending to unload the crude oil in the tanker that belonged to Chevron, an American company, you said that Iran should release the tanker and it has seized unlawfully. Hasn’t the United States itself seized tankers or marine vessels that are – have been carrying Iranian goods and commodities in the past?
MR MILLER: So our sanctions have always had carveout for humanitarian purchases: food, medicine, medical devices, agricultural products. That has been our sanctions policy, not just in this administration but back across multiple administrations, and we have never prevented medicine from reaching the Iranian people.
QUESTION: Can I just ask —
QUESTION: But —
MR MILLER: Yeah, let Guita – you —
QUESTION: Go ahead. Different subject. It is very brief.
MR MILLER: Yeah, yeah. Go – Guita, you finish.
QUESTION: Well, all right. That was about U.S. sanctions, which Iran claims that it’s going to truse the proceeds from the sale of that oil for certain patients there which it claims the U.S. sanctions have prevented from getting the necessary medicine from overseas. But what about the U.S. seizing ships carrying Iranian commodities?
MR MILLER: So with respect to – so with respect to commodities that are exempt from our sanctions policy that has never been our target. Now, with respect to the seizures that we have done, we have done those consistent with the rule of law.
So Matt, go ahead and then —
QUESTION: Yeah, I just wanted to ask you if – I know you expressed your concern on multiple occasions about the situation between China and the Philippines. But I just wanted to see if there was anything you had to add since the statement of —
MR MILLER: No, I don’t have anything.
QUESTION: — 6:51 p.m. last night?
MR MILLER: No, I do not.
QUESTION: Oh, okay.
MR MILLER: I do not.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR MILLER: Humeyra, and then we’ll wrap.
QUESTION: Sorry, I have two small things. On China, they released their defense budget, and it looks like their – the growth of their defense budget outstrips their economic growth. I’m just wondering if U.S. has, like, any concerns or any comment about that particular —
MR MILLER: So we have for a long time expressed concerns about their rapid and opaque modernization efforts as well as their efforts to acquire dual-use technologies and know-how under their Military-Civil Fusion strategy.
QUESTION: All right. And the report also seems to highlight that they officially adopted tougher language against Taiwan, dropping the mention of peaceful reunification. Is that also a particular reason of concern for you guys?
MR MILLER: So we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side. We don’t support Taiwan independence. We support cross-strait dialogue and expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, and in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the strait.
QUESTION: Final thing on South Sudan. U.S. prosecutors have charged a prominent South Sudanese economist conspiring to export Stinger missile systems. Do you have any particular comment on that?
MR MILLER: So I would refer to DOJ on specific questions about that matter. But just to be clear, the United States does not support violent or undemocratic changes in government in Africa or elsewhere; and all violations of U.S. export regulations will be punished to the full extent of the law.
With that, wrap for the day.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MR MILLER: Thank you.
QUESTION: Wait a second. The United States does not support violence or undemocratic changes to government in Africa or elsewhere?
MR MILLER: We do not.
QUESTION: Come on.
MR MILLER: We’ll wrap up – wrap for the day.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:00 p.m.)
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