Blinken in Israel amid push to wind down war against Hamas
The top American diplomat will discuss with Jerusalem the move to a less intensive phase of the war against Hamas in Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel late on Monday night for discussions with Jerusalem on moving the war against Hamas in Gaza to a less intensive third phase.
A senior U.S. official told CNN that the top American diplomat and his team will push for an “imminent” transition to the next phase. However, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed on Monday that the Israeli offensive had already started the transition to a campaign that would involve fewer ground troops and airstrikes.
Blinken is also expected to talk about a possible return of Gazans to their homes in the northern Strip after hundreds of thousands fled south across the Wadi Gaza to a humanitarian safe zone.
His stop in Israel is part of a multi-country Middle East diplomatic swing in effort by the Biden administration to prevent a wider regional war some three months after hordes of Hamas terrorists broke into southern Israel on Oct. 7 and murdered 1,200 civilians and soldiers, wounded thousands more and took 240 hostages back to Gaza. Israel has been engaged in a ground offensive in Gaza since Oct. 27.
Blinken visited Saudi Arabia before Israel, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received him at his winter retreat in the northwestern Saudi city of Al-Ula. MBS stressed the importance of stopping the war in Gaza, increasing humanitarian efforts and creating the conditions for security and stability, according to reports.
“I’ve been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza,” U.S. President Joe Biden said during a campaign speech on Monday in South Carolina after being interrupted by anti-Israel protesters. “I’m using all that I can to do that. But I understand the passion.”
During a Monday press briefing, Hagari said that the fighting in Gaza “will continue into 2024.” This comes after IDF Chief of Staff. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Sunday that “we will be at war in Gaza, I don’t know if all year—we will be fighting in Gaza all year, that’s for sure.”
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