As outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held his final press conference Thursday (Jan 16), there was chaos as the State Department employees removed a reporter after he accused the top diplomat of allowing “genocide” in Gaza.

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Max Blumenthal, a journalist with Grayzone News, reportedly abandoned the press conference upon being asked to do so by state department aides. Meanwhile, officials dragged independent journalist Sam Husseini out amid ruckus. Both journalists had blasted Blinken for not reaching the Gaza ceasefire deal sooner.

"Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?,” Blumenthal asked, as quoted by New York Post. “Why did you allow my friends homes in Gaza to be destroyed?”

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On the other hand, Husseini yelled, “You pontificate about a free press!” “I am asking questions after being told by [spokesman] Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions,” the journalist yelled as state department aides carried him out of the session as Blinken was still speaking.

“Criminal! Why aren’t you in the Hague! Why aren’t you in the Hague! Why aren’t you in the Hague!”

Also read: Gaza ceasefire: Biden and Trump - two presidents, one truce, who gets the credit?

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The outgoing US diplomat said he was confident that the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will begin on Sunday as expected. He added that he was in touch with US negotiator Brett McGurk and Qatari officials on Thursday morning to resolve the issue.

Also read: Israel, Hamas reach Gaza ceasefire deal; Trump says 'hostages to be released soon'

“It’s not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end,” he said. “We’re tying up that loose end as we speak.”

(With inputs from agencies)