Blinken acknowledges the significant loss of Palestinian lives

Gaza is a “hell on earth,” according to UN officials, where “a child is killed every 10 minutes.”

According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel’s campaign of retaliation against Hamas militants in Gaza has claimed “far too many” Palestinian lives. He also demanded a reduction in the number of civilian casualties and suffering.

As he concluded his Middle East and Asia visit, the top US diplomat told reporters in New Delhi on Friday that “much more needs to be done to protect civilians and to make sure that humanitarian assistance reaches them.”

“We want to do everything possible to prevent harm to them and to maximise the assistance that gets to them. Far too many Palestinians have been killed and suffering over the past few weeks.”

Though Blinken did not go into detail, the US has been attempting to persuade Israel to implement longer “humanitarian pauses” and has developed further suggestions on how to better protect civilians.

Over 11,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli bombings on Gaza, including 3,027 women and 4,506 children, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas on Friday. Its most recent statistics indicates that throughout the IDF’s more than month-long bombing, some 27,490 additional people were injured.

READ ALSO: Blinken visits Jordan to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Blinken restated Washington’s categorical rejection of Hamas and endorsement of Israel’s right to self-defense. On Friday, however, French President Emmanuel Macron contended that the extent of the bombing and suffering inflicted on civilians in Gaza provided “no justification” for self-defense.

“De facto: civilians are bombarded today; this is true. These women, these children, these elderly people are bombed to death. Thus, there is no justification and no legality for such. Macron told the BBC that “we do urge Israel to stop” and that “realising that all lives matter is important for the mid-to-long run as well as for the security of Israel itself.”

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of WHO, told the UN Security Council on Friday that a child dies in Gaza “every ten minutes on average” and that the country’s healthcare sector is “on its knees.”

He declared, “Nobody and nowhere is safe.” Hospital hallways packed with sick, injured, and dying people. Mortuaries full to bursting. cutting without using anaesthesia. tens of thousands of internally displaced persons taking refuge in hospitals.

Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters in Geneva, “If there is a hell on earth, it is the north of Gaza.”