‘It’s time to end Gaza war,’ US top official tells Israel
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza during a press conference in Tel Aviv.
He stressed that Israel must do more to facilitate aid entry, despite acknowledging “progress” in this area.
He further urged Israeli leaders to take immediate action to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in northern Gaza, emphasizing that “much more needs to be done” to address the crisis.
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During his recent meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and other senior officials in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Blinken stressed the importance of alleviating the suffering of civilians in the besieged area.
Blinken added that Israel has achieved its strategic objectives in Gaza since October 7 last year and urged sustained efforts to turn these successes into long-term gains.
He said, “Since October 7 a year ago, Israel has achieved most of its strategic objectives when it comes to Gaza… Now is the time to turn those successes into enduring, strategic success,”, adding that on aid he saw “progress being made, which is good, but more progress needs to be made and, most critically, it needs to be sustained.”
Washington has been criticized for not using its leverage as a major arms supplier to Israel to push for a resolution to the conflict. The US has consistently rejected this criticism, but Blinken’s recent statements suggest a growing concern about the humanitarian situation.
The meetings between Blinken and Israeli leaders are part of a broader effort to revive diplomacy in the region, following Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza last week.
The US has warned Israel against forcibly displacing residents from northern Gaza to the already overcrowded southern area.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, international pressure is mounting on Israel to address the humanitarian crisis.
