Israel: The US Secretary of State, Mr. Antony Blinken, has told Israel that it must take responsibility for the safety of Palestinian civilians before restarting any military operations in Gaza.
Captives on both sides were exchanged during a week-long truce. The top diplomat for the US made his third trip to the region since the Israel-Palestinian conflict started on October 7, 2023, while negotiators from Qatar and Egypt engaged in challenging negotiations on Thursday for a fresh two-day extension to the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.
Mr. Blinken stated that although Washington is still supportive of Israel’s right to self-defense, it has intensified its demands that Israel comply with international law and safeguard civilians if it launches significant military operations in southern Gaza.
Mr. Blinken’s remarks were in line with Mr. Joe Biden, the US President, evolving stance on the conflict, which started as fervent support for Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks but progressively became more nuanced as the number of Palestinian civilian casualties started to rise rapidly.
Since October 7, over 15,000 Palestinians, more than 6,000 of them children, have died in Gaza. International criticism has been widespread due to the number of deaths and the extent of the destruction.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been wounded, many of them with fatal injuries, and at least 7,000 people are still missing or thought to be buried beneath the rubble as a result of Israel’s bombardment of hospitals, schools, and houses. With 26 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals out of service, their chances of getting treatment are slim, as per the statement.
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