US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to avoid civilian casualties and maintain its path towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.
On January 9, during a face-to-face meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a military base in Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to avoid civilian casualties and maintain its path toward establishing a Palestinian state.
Mr. Blinken stressed the importance of avoiding harm to civilians and protecting civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
Mr. Blinken reaffirmed the need to ensure lasting and sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including the establishment of a Palestinian state.
At a press conference earlier in the day in Tel Aviv, assessing the content of discussions in Arab countries, Mr. Blinken affirmed that he saw an opportunity for Tel Aviv to build closer relations in the region after the crisis in the Gaza Strip.
According to him, countries in the region want to integrate with Israel but only if the plan to normalize relations includes a "practical roadmap" towards a future Palestinian state.
Mr. Blinken is also expected to meet with the families of hostages held by Hamas and discuss efforts to secure their release.
During the week-long ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas Islamist movement in late November 2023, a total of 110 hostages, including 80 Israeli hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners, were released.