TEL AVIV, Nov 30 (AFP): Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli leaders on Thursday that a temporary truce in their war with Hamas was "producing results" and should continue.
Blinken, on his third trip to the region since the conflict erupted nearly eight weeks ago, also stressed it was "imperative" to protect civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip should fighting resume.
He made the remarks in meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, respectively, before travelling to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank for a sit-down with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
As part of the pause in fighting, now in its seventh day, Hamas has released scores of hostages taken during its bloody attack on Israel on October 7 in exchange for the release of more than 200 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails.
"We have seen over the last week the very positive development of hostages coming home, being reunited with their families," Blinken said in his meeting with Herzog.
"It's also enabled an increase in humanitarian assistance to go to innocent civilians in Gaza who need it desperately.
"So this process is producing results. It's important, and we hope that it can continue."
The truce was extended by one day on Thursday and is due to expire the following morning if an agreement is not reached on a further prolongation.
In his meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself, but urged it "to take every possible measure to avoid civilian harm", State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
"The Secretary stressed the imperative of accounting for humanitarian and civilian protection needs in southern Gaza before any military operations there and urged immediate steps to hold settler extremists accountable for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank," he added.
Blinken arrived in an armoured convoy at the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah for his meeting with Abbas.
Since the October 7 attack on Israel and its ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza, violence in the West Bank has flared, with nearly 240 Palestinians killed by either soldiers or Israeli settlers, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Before he arrived, Blinken had said his trip would focus on extending the truce between Israel and Hamas to ensure the release of more hostages and the continued delivery of aid into Gaza.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
