US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is in Jordan, said on Saturday (Nov 4) that Israel must take every possible measure to prevent civilian casualties as its war with Hamas intensifies in the Gaza Strip. Addressing a press conference in Amman along with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Blinken said that Israel must also take every possible measure to protect civilians.
Blinken arrived in Jordan to hear demands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza from Middle East foreign ministers. During the press conference, Blinken reaffirmed US support for humanitarian pauses in the conflict. “The United States believes that all of these efforts will be facilitated by humanitarian pauses,” he said.
He also reiterated Washington’s stance of a ceasefire and said that a truce would enable Hamas to repeat what it did on October 7.
Meanwhile, Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi called for all sides to work together to “stop a catastrophe that will haunt the region for generations”.
Blinken in Jordan amid mounting Arab anger over war deaths
Antony Blinken began his day in Jordan by holding talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani of Qatar, a mediator in the conflict. He held meetings with Safadi, Shoukry and also the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The meetings came amid mounting Arab anger over the civilian death toll from war, and a fear that the conflict could spill over.
On Friday, the US Secretary of State met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. Blinken said that he discussed humanitarian pauses in Gaza with Netanyahu, adding that Israel was committed to ensuring aid in Gaza.
“We believe that each of these efforts (to protect Palestinian civilians and increase aid into Gaza) would be facilitated by humanitarian pauses, by arrangements on the ground that increase security for civilians and permit the more effective and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance,” he said.
Blinken also warned Hamas does not care for the well-being of Palestinians and was using them as human shields. Upon his arrival in Israel, Blinken said that Washington was determined to prevent the escalation of the ongoing conflict and to continue efforts to get humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
