U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says there is “a gap” between what Israel pledged to do to protect Palestinian civilians and the results so far since it began intensive military operations against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip.
Quick Read
- Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, observes a discrepancy between Israel’s commitments to protect Palestinian civilians and the actual outcomes in the Gaza Strip military operations against Hamas.
- Blinken emphasizes the necessity for Israel to enhance efforts to prevent civilian casualties in its mission to neutralize Hamas in Gaza.
- Israeli officials had previously assured Blinken of taking additional measures to safeguard civilian lives, a point he revisited in a recent discussion.
- During a news conference with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington, Blinken stressed the urgent need for Israel to prioritize civilian protection.
- Blinken notes a significant gap between Israel’s stated intentions to protect civilians and the real-life results observed.
- The U.S. is satisfied with new fuel deliveries to Gaza, but Blinken urges Israel to increase these and other forms of assistance.
- In a conversation with Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Blinken highlighted that civilian casualties are still excessively high and Israel must intensify efforts to reduce them.
The Associated Press has the story:
U.S. says Israel has to do more to protect Palestinian civilians
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says there is “a gap” between what Israel pledged to do to protect Palestinian civilians and the results so far since it began intensive military operations against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip.
Blinken said Thursday that it remains “imperative” that Israel do more to ensure civilians are not killed or wounded as it seeks to eradicate Hamas from Gaza. He recalled that Israeli officials had assured him on a visit to Israel last week that they would take extra precautions to protect civilian life. He said he raised the issue again on Thursday.
“As we stand here almost a week into this campaign in the south and after the end of the humanitarian pause, it is imperative, it remains imperative, that Israel put a premium on civilian protection,” Blinken told reporters at a joint news conference in Washington with visiting British Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
“And there does remain a gap between exactly what I said when I was there between the intent to protect civilians and the actual results that we’re seeing on the ground,” he said.
A senior U.S. State Department official said Blinken spoke earlier Thursday with Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer to say the U.S. is pleased with new deliveries of fuel to Gaza but still wants to see those and other assistance deliveries increased.
At the same time, Blinken told Dermer that civilian casualties remain too high and that Israel must step up its efforts to reduce them, according to the official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss the private diplomatic discussion.
