By Comfort James
Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, stated on Wednesday that it is currently the moment to put an end to the conflict in Gaza and advised Israel to prevent any additional escalation with Iran.
Israel is currently engaged in conflicts with Hamas, which is backed by Iran, in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and has promised to retaliate against Iran’s missile attack on October 1st.
According to state media in Lebanon, an Israeli drone attack was reported in Tyre, following a military advisory for residents in certain areas of the city to evacuate before operations against Hezbollah.The alert prompted a fresh wave of people leaving the previously bustling city situated on the Mediterranean coast, with AFPTV footage capturing a thick black smoke rising from the city following the attack.Mortada Mhanna, in charge of Tyre’s disaster management unit, stated, “The situation is extremely dire, we are in the process of evacuating individuals.”
Bilal Kashmar, the unit’s media officer, stated that it could be said that the whole city of Tyre is being evacuated.
Blinken has visited the region 11 times since the Gaza war began and recently made his first visit since Israel-Hezbollah violence escalated to full-scale war.
The conflict in Gaza started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to the deaths of 1,206 individuals, primarily civilians, based on Israeli official data compiled by AFP.
According to data from Gaza’s health ministry, which is considered reliable by the UN, Israel’s retaliatory attack has resulted in the deaths of 42,718 individuals, most of whom were civilians.
Blinken stated that Israel has achieved its strategic goals in Gaza since October 7 last year. He emphasized the need to convert these achievements into lasting strategic success as he departed from Israel after meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other key figures.
Blinken noted progress in Gaza aid, but emphasized the need for further sustained progress.The US top diplomat emphasized the importance of Israel responding to Iran’s October 1 missile attack without causing further escalation.
Following his visit to Israel, Blinken will then travel to Saudi Arabia, where discussions for a normalization agreement with Israel have been paused until a Palestinian state is established.
The US diplomat encouraged Israel to take advantage of a great opportunity by advancing towards an agreement with Saudi Arabia.Past attempts by the United States to stop the Gaza conflict and limit the regional consequences have not succeeded, including a joint effort led by President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron to achieve a temporary truce in Lebanon.
Hostages remain in Gaza.
During the meeting on Tuesday, Blinken encouraged Netanyahu to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza to push for a ceasefire.
Sinwar orchestrated the assault on October 7, 2023 which kickstarted the Gaza war.Netanyahu praised the assassination, stating that it did not signal the end of the war but could potentially be the start of the conclusion.
The extremists brought 251 hostages back to Gaza as well. There are still Ninety-seven people being detained there, with 34 of them reportedly dead according to the Israeli military.
In Jerusalem, during his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Blinken emphasized the importance of taking advantage of Sinwar’s death, according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.He added that the goal is to secure the release of all hostages and resolve the conflict in Gaza in a manner that ensures enduring security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Netanyahu informed Blinken that the passing of Sinwar “might positively affect the release of the hostages”, as per a statement from the prime minister’s office.
Blinken also urged for increased assistance to enter blockaded Gaza as worries grow for many civilians stuck in the hard-to-reach northern region due to the conflict.
This month, Israel initiated a large-scale air and ground attack in northern Gaza, promising to prevent Hamas fighters from gathering in the region.
Kamal Adwan Hospital director Hossam Abu Safia cautioned that the only medical facility still partly operational in the area being targeted has a lack of medicine and medical supplies.
“We are unable to assist those being murdered in the streets.” There are corpses scattered on the streets.
