The top US diplomat arrived in Turkey on Friday to begin a trip that includes visits to Israel, the occupied West Bank and several Gulf states.
US officials said Blinken, on his fourth trip to the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, would focus on bringing more supplies to the besieged Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Palestinian militant group. help.
In a video message posted on Hamas’ social media channels late Friday, Haniyeh said he hoped Blinken had learned the lessons of the past three months, during which Israel has relentlessly bombarded the Gaza Strip in an effort to destroy the Islamist group.
US support for Israel’s military campaign “has led to unprecedented massacres and war crimes once morest our people in the Gaza Strip,” Haniyeh said.
“We (…) hope that this time he will be more focused on ending the aggression” and “occupying all Palestinian lands,” the Qatar-based Hamas leader added.
Haniyeh also urged regional leaders who are expected to meet with Blinken to tell him that stability in the Middle East is “closely linked to our Palestinian issue.”
The United States is Israel’s main military and political backer and has repeatedly refused to support calls for a ceasefire.
But Washington has approved humanitarian pauses and backed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for more aid to be allowed into the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s war once morest Hamas in the Gaza Strip began following a bloody October 7 attack by the militants, which Israel says killed regarding 1,140 people, mostly civilians.
In response, Israel vowed to destroy the group and launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion that has reduced much of the Gaza Strip to rubble and killed at least 22,722 people, according to the territory’s health ministry.
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2024-07-07 21:02:15
