US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Rejects Cease-fire Request in Gaza, 5 NOV
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s plea for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip during a meeting held in Ramallah. Blinken reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense and continuation of its military campaign in Gaza. He, however, committed to exerting pressure on Israel to avoid civilian casualties and to provide safe passageways for humanitarian aid.
Blinken’s Stance on the Israel-Hamas Conflict
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in the death of 9,770 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis. Arab leaders are urging an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Blinken, though, contended that such a halt would only enable Hamas to reorganize and launch renewed attacks on Israel. He advocated for humanitarian pauses in Israel’s operations to facilitate a better flow of aid and increased evacuation of foreign nationals out of Gaza and into Egypt.
Arab Leaders’ Concern Over Civilian Deaths
Arab leaders have voiced their concern about the civilian death toll in Gaza and are calling for an immediate ceasefire. They argue that the deaths of thousands of civilians cannot be justified as self-defense and underscored the necessity to establish an armistice before discussing Gaza’s future. Arab states are also apprehensive about the conflict spreading regionally, with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiite militias having begun attacks on Israel since the conflict’s inception.
International Call for Ceasefire and US’s Response
The international community has been vocal about a ceasefire, but both Washington and Israel have dismissed these calls. The US is aiming to convince Israel to agree to local pauses in the fighting to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid. However, Israel is wary that Hamas would utilize these pauses to regroup and resupply.
US’s Role in the Ongoing Conflict
The US has been criticized for its support of Israel’s military campaign and its reluctance to call for an immediate ceasefire. But, the Biden administration argues that a ceasefire at this stage would only allow Hamas to regroup and resume its attacks on Israel. The US is instead calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to facilitate the delivery of aid and the evacuation of civilians. The conflict has also raised concerns about the potential for the violence to spread to other countries in the region.
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