The U.S. government urges an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, emphasizing the need for peace and humanitarian relief.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that Israel has achieved its declared objectives against Hamas and should now cease its military operations in Gaza.
In October 2023, Israel initiated a siege on the Palestinian enclave following an incursion by the militant group from that area into southern Israel. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages being taken. In response to intense bombardments and a ground invasion conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), reports indicate that at least 43,000 people have lost their lives. According to last week’s report from its Human Rights Office, nearly seventy percent of these UN-verified casualties were women and children.
“[Israel] stated its objective to dismantle Hamas’s military structure and hold accountable the leaders responsible for October 7th,” Blinken informed journalists in Brussels. “Both goals have been achieved, so this should be a time to conclude the war,” he added, following his meeting with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer the previous day.
The top US diplomat stated that even if West Jerusalem refuses to withdraw its troops, it must fulfill its humanitarian responsibilities. If this condition is met, Washington has an exit strategy in place and will ensure that Hamas does not regain control.
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Qatar announced last week that it has halted its US-supported mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel. According to the Qatari foreign ministry, Doha will not participate unless both parties “demonstrate their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.”
According to reports, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned in a private meeting with hostage families that the IDF has “nothing left to do in Gaza.” Sources claim he stated Israel remains in the enclave due to a “desire to be there.” Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Gallant for “breach of trust.”
The left-leaning newspaper Haaretz has accused the Israeli leader of pursuing an “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza. In an editorial last Sunday, it claimed that Netanyahu is “responsible for the war crimes committed by the IDF…the expulsion of Palestinians, the destruction of their homes, and preparations on the ground for a prolonged occupation and Jewish settlement.”
The Gaza campaign has prompted Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon targeting the militant group Hezbollah. According to a statement from the Health Ministry on Tuesday, the death toll in this separate conflict in Lebanon has reached 3,287 since October last year.
