Antony Blinken told Israeli leaders “more needs to be done” to deliver humanitarian aid to besieged civilians in northern Gaza, adding that U.S. law would require action if no action is taken. A senior Biden administration official said that could have an impact.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Secretary of State spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategy Minister Ron Dermer and senior military officials in a series of meetings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The talks are part of a tour of the region that Washington sees as an opportunity to revive diplomacy after Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip last week.
Blinken’s face-to-face message to Israelis says the United States has been unable to stem the rate of civilian killings in the Gaza Strip because of its reluctance to use arms deliveries to Israel as leverage. This was done despite growing criticism.
Washington has consistently rejected that criticism.
The official said Mr. Blinken also pressed Israeli leadership on reports that the Israeli military was carrying out the so-called “General Plan” in northern Gaza. This tactic is said to have involved the large-scale displacement of civilians and the surrender or starvation of entire populations. Those who remain.
The official said Israel told him that this tactic was “absolutely not part of its policy,” to which the U.S. responded that Israel needed to make this point publicly clear.
Israel claimed the attack in northern Gaza was aimed at routing a Hamas resurgence.
Blinken’s explicit warning against humanitarian aid follows his letter last week, co-signed with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in which he gave the Israeli government 30 days to expedite aid to the northern Gaza Strip. The United States has given the United States a grace period to do so, or risks having some military aid cut off.
“There have been extended discussions on this,” a senior State Department official said.
They added: “The measures taken so far are not sufficient and we have made clear today that further consideration is required.”
“Early progress has been made. We heard more from Minister Gallant…about the steps he is overseeing in response…The Prime Minister, both Minister Dermer and Minister Gallant have confirmed that this is a matter of discussion. ,” the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity.
Aid groups have warned that civilians in northern Gaza are at risk of starvation under Israeli military siege.
Israel claims the attacks there are focused on Hamas fighters, while the US says 1.7 million civilians are crammed into dangerous, overcrowded areas at “lethal risk” of the disease. The government warns against any attempt to forcefully relocate residents to southern Gaza, which is currently under construction.
Asked whether Mr. Blinken had verbally warned the Israelis of the consequences if Israel did not comply with its demands, the official said Mr. “We’ve made it clear that it has an impact on what’s needed.”
A statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office after the meeting did not mention humanitarian aid. He emphasized the “Iranian threat” to Israel and the need for the United States and Israel to “stand together” against it.
The statement also said Blinken expressed the U.S.’s “deep shock” at what Israel claims was an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Iran over the weekend when a Hezbollah drone attacked his private residence. .
Blinken characterized the incident as a “very extreme incident” in a statement.
Asked whether this account was accurate, a U.S. official said Blinken “expressed concern that it was a very serious incident…’Exceptional and extreme’ are not words he typically uses. ” he said.
The official added that the United States has not made any assessment of claims of Iranian involvement.
The discrepancy in the nature of the two conversations stems from Israel’s readiness to carry out retaliatory strikes in response to the October 1 ballistic missile attack on Iran. This followed Israel’s recent assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The United States, fearing further escalation in the region, is trying to force Israel to scale back its response.
U.S. officials also said Blinken had discussed the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of the U.S.’s “diplomatic push” to quell the escalation of fighting. He did not provide any updates on whether.
