US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel for high-stakes talks with top government officials on Tuesday to push them to better protect civilians and allow in more desperately needed aid as the war in Gaza shifts to a new phase.
Blinken has been dispatched to the Middle East four times in the more than three months since the October 7 Hamas attack and has made five visits to Israel during those trips. On each of his prior visits, Blinken has met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet. He does so again on Tuesday.
The stakes of this latest visit couldn’t be higher as concerns about the war spilling out into the wider region increase. On its conduct of the war in Gaza, the Biden administration has sought to maintain pressure on the Netanyahu government to curb its offensive and reduce harm to civilians. However, US officials have also offered unceasing support for Israel’s decision to carry out a military campaign, even amid growing international isolation.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the Israeli offensive, millions have been displaced, and the entire population in the war-torn strip faces the risk of famine, the UN has warned. US officials have publicly acknowledged that gaps remain between Israel’s “intentions” and “results” when it comes to the staggering toll on civilians.
Blinken said Monday he would talk to Israeli officials “about the future direction of their military campaign in Gaza.” Israeli officials have said they are transitioning to a more targeted, lower-intensity phase of the war. A senior US official said Blinken is expected to push on an “imminent” transition to such a phase, which officials have yet to see.
“I will press on the absolute imperative to do more to protect civilians and to do more to make sure that humanitarian assistance is getting into the hands of those…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply