The U.S. is facing pressure to help ensure food reaches Gaza, with aid agencies warning the population is on the brink of starvation as the war between Israel and Hamas drags on.
Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, joined Scripps News on Friday to discuss the crisis and other global issues.
Aid for Gaza
The World Food Program says that 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Many blame the blockade Israel has on Gaza. However, Pigott said the blame should squarely fall on Hamas' shoulders.
"We remain committed to getting as much aid as possible to the people of Gaza without it being looted and then weaponized by Hamas," he said.
Pigott highlighted the effort to get 90 million meals to the people of Gaza, but added that conditions could rapidly improve if Hamas committed to stopping the fighting.
On Thursday, Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, announced he was returning from negotiations in Qatar after he said Hamas demonstrated a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Murderer returned to the U.S.
During the interview with Scripps News, Pigott was pressed on the U.S. decision to bring back a man from Venezuela who was convicted of a triple murder.
According to The New York Times, Dahud Hanid Ortiz — a dual U.S.-Venezuelan citizen — was convicted in Venezuela for the 2016 murders of three individuals in Spain.
Pigott said he wouldn't get into the details of individual cases, but noted the goal was to make sure people were not wrongly detained.
"Right now, there are no more wrongfully detained Americans in Venezuela," he said. "And that is because of the leadership of this administration, that leadership of President Trump to bring Americans home, Americans who suffered torture at the hands of the Venezuelan regime."
Incinerating contraceptives
Reuters reported this week that U.S.-funded contraceptives, worth nearly $10 million, are slated to be incinerated as the Trump administration shifted priorities concerning global aid.
Responding to the story, Pigott said the administration is abiding by the Mexico City Policy, which ensures that "U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization."
"We're not talking about condoms, for example," Pigott said.
He added, "We're talking about very specific commodities when it comes to the Mexico City Policy that prevents taxpayer dollars going towards organizations that may perform abortions."
Pigott went on to say that officials are doing an audit of the supplies to see what can be salvaged before any of it is destroyed.
