U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with the aim of pushing for humanitarian pauses. The purpose of these pauses is to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and create a conducive environment for the potential release of hostages and evacuation of foreign nationals.
During his visit, Blinken met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog, urging for greater protections for civilians in Gaza. Despite the calls for a full ceasefire, Washington is advocating for more temporary and local pauses in fighting to allow aid to reach Gaza and for hostages taken by Hamas to be released.
However, Israeli officials have reportedly remained unapologetic about their handling of the situation, insisting residents must move south to avoid the Israeli assault on Hamas installations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, insisting on the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The conflict has resulted in over 9,200 Palestinian deaths, mainly women and minors, and more than 23,000 injuries. On the Israeli side, more than 1,400 people have died, mainly civilians killed during Hamas' initial attack, and some 5,400 have also been injured.
Despite condemning Hamas' brutality, Blinken continued to support Israel's right and obligation to defend itself. He also emphasized the need for long-term planning for regional security, reiterating that a two-state solution is the best way Israel can ensure its safety.