 | diplomaticbriefing Nov 30 | U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israel on Thursday it must ensure that Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza are safe and their humanitarian needs are met before resuming military operations there, his spokesperson said. Blinken met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet in Jerusalem before heading to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. It was his third visit to the Middle East since Hamas carried out an Oct. 7 attack during which Israel says the Islamist group killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 240. He said a 7-day-old truce between Israel and Hamas had produced results and the United States hoped it would continue. In the Jerusalem meetings, Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel's right to protect itself from terrorist violence in compliance with international humanitarian law, spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. Blinken urged Israel to take every possible measure to avoid civilian harm, Miller said. "The secretary stressed the imperative of accounting for humanitarian and civilian protection needs in southern Gaza before any military operations there," Miller said. (https://neuters.de/world/middle-east/us-top-diplomat-blinken-visits-israel-discuss-gaza-truce-aid-2023-11-29/) Washington has urged Israel to narrow the zone of combat and clarify where Palestinian civilians can seek safety in southern Gaza, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, to prevent a repeat of the massive death toll from Israel's northern Gaza attacks. | | | |  | You can also reply to this email to leave a comment. | | | | |
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