US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has strongly criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza war. He said Israel’s tactics caused a lot of innocent people to die, but were unable to stop Hamas leaders. He also warned that these actions could lead to a long-lasting insurgency. Blinken in a few TV interviews, stressed that the United States believes it is time for Israeli forces to leave Gaza. But they are also waiting for Israel to show their well-thought-out plans for security and governance after the war is over. Blinken mentioned that Hamas is back in certain parts of Gaza, and if Israel uses strong force in Rafah, it could lead to lasting problems.
He also mentioned that the US has been working with Arab countries and others to make plans for rebuilding Gaza, but they haven’t seen similar plans from Israel yet. Blinken warned that while a military operation might seem successful at first, it could hurt innocent people and not solve the problem of Hamas controlling Gaza, and that is something that both the US and Israel want to prevent.
Blinken on Sunday spoke to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, where he reiterated that the US doesn’t support Israel’s ongoing offensive in Rafah because it’s hurting civilians there. He also urged Gallant to let aid workers bring help into Gaza. Israel’s attack in Rafah closed one of the main border crossings into Gaza for a week. The other crossing also stopped most operations after it got hit by a Hamas rocket.
What is happening in Rafah?
Hamas militants are said to have regrouped in certain areas of Rafah. Israeli forces are pushing deeper into this area, as this has reportedly been the stronghold for Hamas militants. Around 300,000 civilians have fled the city after Israel gave the evacuation orders.
Egypt has strongly opposed the Rafah offensive by Israel. They declared their intention to officially support South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel on the other hand has denie these accusations.
(With AP Inputs)