Blinken held talks with Netanyahu in Israel amidst a rising movement by the US to secure a truce agreement.
The US diplomat, Blinken, visited Tel Aviv on Tuesday following stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This marks his seventh round of diplomatic visits in the region since the Hamas attack on October 7th.
Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for around two and a half hours, first privately and then with both the American and Israeli delegations. During the discussion, Blinken emphasized Hamas' obstruction to achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. He further stated this publicly during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The diplomat reaffirmed the US stance on Rafah.
Before leaving Israel for Washington, Blinken expressed that the United States' standpoint on a large-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have fled, would not change. "We can't support a major military operation in Rafah unless we have a proper plan in place to protect civilians. We haven't seen such a plan yet," he said.
Amid warnings from Blinken and other high-ranking Biden officials, Netanyahu has repeatedly stated his intention to undertake such an offensive with or without a ceasefire deal and with or without US support.
While US officials claim an Israeli military operation in Rafah is not imminent, it could potentially derail the delicate negotiations geared toward securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The need for a ceasefire has intensified as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, and domestic pressure in the US mounts.
In the US, university protests condemning Israel's actions in Gaza have erupted, and in some cases, have been met with forceful police intervention. In Israel, protesters have been demanding the government settle the hostage situation with Hamas. Blinken, who had a meeting with Herzog in Tel Aviv, reassured these protesters: "We won't stop until everyone is back home."
The diplomat visited Kibbutz Nir Or, which was severely affected by the October 7th Hamas attack. While there, he paid his respects at the home of the Kedem Siman Tov family; five members of whom, all American citizens, were killed. Blinken also visited Kerem Shalom, a vital border crossing for delivering aid to the region. He urged Israeli officials to expedite the distribution of humanitarian aid and ensure that it is accessible to the needy.
Primary negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, the US, and Hamas have congregated in Cairo to review a proposed ceasefire deal. This includes a potential exchange of up to 33 hostages for a temporary cessation of hostilities in Gaza. Israel played a critical role in designing this proposal but has yet to fully commit to it. An Israeli delegation also participated in the meeting.
Hamas responded by warning that Israel would not achieve through negotiations and pressure what it couldn't achieve through seven months of war: "Netanyahu and all his supporters dream of achieving through pressure and political maneuvering what they couldn't through warfare," Izzat Al-Rishq of Hamas' political bureau proclaimed on Telegram.
Negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, the US, and Hamas have convened in Cairo as the latter considers a new framework proposed by Egypt, which entails the release of over 30 hostages captured from Israel. In exchange, Israel would halt hostilities with Gaza. However, Israel's support for this plan remains uncertain. An Israeli delegation was present at the meeting in Cairo, a source informed CNN.
(Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-681313)
During his recent visit, Al-Rishq did not dismiss the suggested plan from Hamas, but implied that they were not ready to consent to it yet. He stated that Israel had "vastly unleashed mass destruction upon Gaza and failed to weaken the resistance. Pray they won't secure through negotiations what they could not accomplish through war."
As the US endeavors to bring about a deal with anticipated positive outcomes for Gaza, Blinken urged Israeli officials to expedite actions to address the escalating situation amidst the humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave.
Emergency situation
Blinken's latest trip follows the gruesome occurrence of an Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza in early April. This incident prompted staunch condemnation and intense pressure from the Biden administration for Israel to safeguard civilians.
Blinken announced that if significant changes are not made, there will be profound alterations to their own policies.
During a conference in May, he highlighted the improvements in humanitarian aid delivery since the talk between Biden and Netanyahu on April 4th. He emphasized the importance of enhancing efforts and preserving these enhancements.
Although Israel vowed to implement modifications - operating new crossings, allowing more trucks to enter Gaza, and establishing a deconfliction mechanism - progress has been sluggish. The Biden administration has also come under scrutiny as it has allegedly preoccupied itself with monitoring vehicle deliveries, instead of tackling the crisis overall.
Blinken asserted that there has been "genuine, significant progress" in humanitarian assistance, which is "beginning to significantly impact people in Gaza," but this progress needs to be stepped up and maintained.
He revealed that aid trucks were permitted to access north Gaza through the Erez crossing for the first time on Wednesday, as well as the soon-to-be operational US maritime channel.
Yet, "while we concentrate on all the necessary components, the crucial measure is the outcome. And we're meticulously monitoring that, ensuring people are truly receiving what they need and that it's being provided to them," Blinken declared.
Further, he stressed on Tuesday the necessity of having a concrete, affirmative checklist of products essential for Gaza's residents' wellbeing. Moreover, we must avoid any random denial of necessities required to reach Gaza.
This article has been updated with additional developments.
CNN's Ibrahim Dahman assisted in this report.
Correction: In a previous version, the caption of an image featuring Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog was incorrectly identified by the pool.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
