US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to avoid further civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza, as the Jewish state reiterated the need to “end the war.”
America's top diplomat met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wartime cabinet on Tuesday as part of his fourth tour of the region since the outbreak of war with Hamas.
According to a US State Department handout regarding the Secretary of State's visit, Blinken spoke with Israeli leaders and emphasized the importance of “avoiding further civilian casualties and protecting civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, which has been destroyed by continued airstrikes.” “It emphasized sexuality.”
The State Department said Prime Minister Blinken and Prime Minister Netanyahu also “discussed continued efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and the importance of increasing the level of humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in Gaza.” .
The two men likely also discussed the refugee situation in the Gaza Strip, with Blinken previously speaking of the importance of Israel allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to reclaim their homeland.
Blinken's position echoes that of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who suggested that Palestinians should not be allowed to return to the ruins of northern Gaza until the more than 130 hostages held by Hamas are freed. was a complete contrast.
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh has repeatedly said that Israel will release the remaining hostages from Gaza only if Israel agrees to release all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
“They will never take back prisoners until all our prisoners in occupied prisons are released,” Haniya told a news conference in Qatar on Tuesday.
Blinken has advocated an end to months of war with an unprecedented death toll in decades of violence between the Jewish state and the Palestinians, but Israeli officials have not accepted any form of ceasefire. He doesn't seem to be enthusiastic about it.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz told Blinken on Tuesday that the IDF remains focused on its mission of eliminating Hamas for the “security of the people.” CNN coverage.
But American and Israeli officials say it is important to keep the war on lockdown in the Gaza Strip and avoid escalating the conflict amid rising tensions between the Israel Defense Forces and the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Agreed.
“We have to find a diplomatic way to put maximum pressure on Iran and Hezbollah to get them to leave as much as possible,” Katz told Blinken. “The important thing is to apply great pressure now to prevent tomorrow's war.”
Mr. Katz ultimately warned that a two-front war for the Jewish state would result in the IDF having to “destroy Lebanon,” while Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said He said he hoped to avoid such an outcome by establishing stable negotiations.
Blinken's meeting comes after Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem said in a televised statement on Tuesday that the terrorist group wants to avoid war in Lebanon, “but to deter Israel if it expands.” “It is inevitable that we will take the greatest possible response.”
The unrest along the northern border comes as the IDF continues its advance in southern Gaza, with the Commando Brigade's Maglan and Duvdevan units currently operating in Khan Yunis.
The IDF said on Tuesday that Israeli forces were trying to gain “operational control” of northern Gaza as well, and had raided several Hamas strongholds in the area, including underground tunnels.
The Israeli military later released a video of the operation in Khan Yunis, showing soldiers eliminating Hamas fighters who had thrown explosives at Jewish troops.
The IDF added that Duvdeva snipers killed nine Hamas operatives in recent fighting in the southern stronghold.
Meanwhile, in the city of Breiji in central Gaza, Israel claimed to have “discovered the largest weapons production site since the start of the war.”
The weapons factory is believed to have stored parts for long-range missiles capable of reaching Israel, as well as explosives and mortar shells.
The IDF said the site was discovered in the middle of a densely populated civilian area, with several tunnel shafts nearby.
The discovery was made after a day of intense fighting in central Gaza. Six Jewish soldiers were killed along with three others in southern Gaza on Monday, one of the deadliest days for the Israel Defense Forces since the ground invasion began.
The Israel Defense Forces has reported the deaths of at least 185 soldiers since the ground invasion began in October.
