Retired ambassador David Satterfield was appointed by President Biden as a special Middle East envoy on humanitarian issues focused on the Israel-Hamas war.
By Akbar Shahid Ahmed
Jan 13, 2024,
HUFFPOST
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, speaks with David Satterfield, right, director of Rice University's Baker Institute, during the Shell Distinguished Lecture Series at Rice University Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
David Satterfield, a retired ambassador who President Joe Biden appointed as a special Middle East envoy on humanitarian issues focused on the Israel-Hamas war, will leave his post in the coming weeks, according to a source familiar with his plans and a U.S. official.
The departure is striking amid Israel’s ongoing U.S.-backed offensive in Gaza, which it launched against Hamas — the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group — following a shock Oct. 7 attack inside Israel. The United Nations and aid groups warn Gaza faces famine and the amount of humanitarian assistance flowing into the territory is deeply insufficient given restrictions imposed by Israel and Egypt.
Spokespeople for the State Department — where Satterfield is serving — did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for comment.
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