US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged to back Israel without faltering in its battle against what he called a “reign of terror” by Hamas.
Regarding the tragic attack by militants operating out of Gaza last weekend, Mr. Blinken assured PM Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel will “never, ever” be left in isolation.
Israel was warned not to injure civilians throughout the battle, he added.
Over 1,400 Palestinians and at least 1,300 Israelis have perished in airstrikes on Gaza.
There have been 27 US citizens reported dead in Israel, and 14 are still missing, maybe kidnapped.
The State Department stated on Thursday that it would start organising charter flights for American citizens who are still in Israel and wish to depart starting on October 13. The “coming days” are anticipated to see an increase in these flights.
In a coordinated land, air, and sea offensive on Saturday, militants from Hamas, which the US and the EU have labelled as a terrorist group, smashed through the Gaza security barrier and captured up to 150 hostages. In Israel’s seventy-five-year history, it was the worst assault by Palestinian militants.
On Thursday, the top diplomat of the US met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, where he was thanked for the US’s assistance.
“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, but as long as America exists you will never, ever have to,” Mr. Blinken warned Israelis during a joint press conference.
Taking “every possible precaution” to prevent killing additional people while combat continues was another point he emphasised.
He stated that “the loss of every innocent life” was lamented by the US.
With supplies running low and anticipation of an Israeli ground offensive, worries for Gaza’s civilian population have been growing.
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Additionally, Mr. Blinken decried the “heinous attacks” of Hamas that resulted in lives.
Mr. Blinken’s visit to Israel, according to Mr. Netanyahu, was a “tangible example of America’s unequivocal support for Israel.”
He continued, “President Biden was absolutely correct in calling this sheer evil,” alluding to the unprecedented assault on the Jewish Sabbath.
On Thursday, Mr. Blinken also spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
He will meet King Abdullah of Jordan and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Friday in Amman, Jordan.
Israel “must operate by the rules of war” in its response to Hamas strikes, according to US President Joe Biden, who made this statement on Wednesday.
Israel must react to a “act of sheer evil,” he has added.
Israel has stated that a complete siege of Gaza — which includes restrictions on food, gasoline, and other necessities — will remain in place until hostages are released.
Israel has threatened to destroy Hamas and has begun a bombing assault against the 2.3 million-person enclave.
Up to 600 Americans, some of whom wanted to leave, were in Gaza, according to a US State Department official who declined to be named, according to Reuters.
In the meantime, aid organisations have urged the creation of humanitarian corridors to lessen the suffering of Gaza’s citizens.
