Too many civilian victims in Gaza, where Israel's offensive has been ongoing for 3 months. This is the message that Antony delivers Blinken, US Secretary of State, on the day characterized by the meeting in Tel Aviv with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The bill paid by civilians “is far too high,” Blinken said, citing UN data according to which 90 percent of the region's population faces serious food security problems and that this will have lasting consequences on children's lives.
In his meetings today in Israel, Blinken also said that more food, water, medicine and other essential goods must enter Gaza. Israel must also “do everything possible to remove any obstacles” to making this happen.
“The United States supports Israel today, tomorrow, always“, reiterated the number 1 of American diplomacy in the press conference. The friendship between the USA and Israel “is truly exceptional and unique”, added Blinken, as if to extinguish the voices that described the summit with Netanyahu as 'tense'.
The United States “wants the war to end as soon as possible…but it is vital that Israel achieves the legitimate objective of ensuring that October 7th never happens again”, we are “at Israel's side so that October 7th never happens again”. never again”, he continued, referring to the attack launched by Hamas which led to the massacre of 1200 Israelis and the kidnapping of almost 250 people, starting the ongoing war. “Hamas could have ended this war on October 8 if it had not hidden behind the civilians, if it had given up its weapons, surrendered and released the hostages. There would have been no suffering if Hamas had not done what it did made on October 7 and then made several decisions,” Blinken remarked.
The UN mission in Gaza
The Secretary of State also announced that the UN will conduct an assessment mission “to determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza.” Blinken also highlighted how the Israeli military operation in Gaza is moving towards “a lower intensity phase”.
The return of the Palestinians “will not happen overnight, there will be serious humanitarian and infrastructure problems. But the UN mission will start a process that will evaluate these obstacles and how they can be overcome”, he explained. “It is absolutely clear,” she said, “that Palestinian civilians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow. They must not be forced to leave Gaza.”
The message to Netanyahu
Regional leaders in the Middle East support a lasting peace solution, “but this can only happen through a regional approach that includes a path to a Palestinian state,” the message the secretary of state said he conveyed to the Israeli prime minister.
“Israel must be a partner for Palestinian leaders willing to guide their people along a path that will lead them to live in peace side by side with Israel as neighbors” – he said in a press conference – “if Israel wants its Arab neighbors to take tough decisions needed to help achieve lasting security, Israeli leaders will also have to make tough decisions.” Blinken then underlined that the Palestinian Authority must reform and improve its governance.
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