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US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Friday urged Israel to temporarily stop its military offensive on Gaza to allow for aid to enter the Palestinian enclave but faced pushback from PM Benjamin Netanyahu who rejected any such halt unless the 240 hostages held by Hamas militants are freed.
Blinken was in West Asia for a second time in less than a month seeking to balance Washington support for Israel over a deadly October 7 Hamas attack with concern over civilian casualties that have soared under an Israeli bombardment.The US has dismissed international calls for a ceasefire but has sought to persuade Israel to accept localised pauses. Blinken urged Tel Aviv to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Blinken’s comments to reporters after a meeting with Netanyahu’s war cabinet signalled that any agreement with Israel remained elusive. Blinken said the US stood “in solidarity” with Israel, but said that in the meetings he had emphasised that “it matters” how Israel conducts its campaign. Over 9,200 Palestinians have been killed so far, Gaza health ministry has said. Netanyahu in a televised statement rejected the idea of pauses. “We are advancing… Nothing will stop us,” he said. He also stood fast on Israel’s refusal to let fuel enter Gaza, even as it allows limited shipments of other vital supplies.
Military officials said Israeli forces have now completely encircled Gaza City, a densely packed cluster of neighbourhoods that Israel says is the centre of Hamas infrastructure and includes a vast network of underground tunnels, bunkers and command centers. Israeli forces are “fighting in a built-up, dense, complex area,” said the military’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevy. A military spokesman said Israeli forces were in “face to face” battles with militants. Israel also said it was on very high alert for attacks on its border with Lebanon as fears grew that the conflict could widen. Thursday saw the most significant escalation on Israel-Lebanon border since the war started, with Hezbollah firing off a barrage of mortar shells and anti- tank missiles and, for the first time, suicide drones.
Blinken was in West Asia for a second time in less than a month seeking to balance Washington support for Israel over a deadly October 7 Hamas attack with concern over civilian casualties that have soared under an Israeli bombardment.The US has dismissed international calls for a ceasefire but has sought to persuade Israel to accept localised pauses. Blinken urged Tel Aviv to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Blinken’s comments to reporters after a meeting with Netanyahu’s war cabinet signalled that any agreement with Israel remained elusive. Blinken said the US stood “in solidarity” with Israel, but said that in the meetings he had emphasised that “it matters” how Israel conducts its campaign. Over 9,200 Palestinians have been killed so far, Gaza health ministry has said. Netanyahu in a televised statement rejected the idea of pauses. “We are advancing… Nothing will stop us,” he said. He also stood fast on Israel’s refusal to let fuel enter Gaza, even as it allows limited shipments of other vital supplies.
Military officials said Israeli forces have now completely encircled Gaza City, a densely packed cluster of neighbourhoods that Israel says is the centre of Hamas infrastructure and includes a vast network of underground tunnels, bunkers and command centers. Israeli forces are “fighting in a built-up, dense, complex area,” said the military’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevy. A military spokesman said Israeli forces were in “face to face” battles with militants. Israel also said it was on very high alert for attacks on its border with Lebanon as fears grew that the conflict could widen. Thursday saw the most significant escalation on Israel-Lebanon border since the war started, with Hezbollah firing off a barrage of mortar shells and anti- tank missiles and, for the first time, suicide drones.
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