Blinken: I discussed with Israel delivering aid to Gaza and ending the war news

The Washington Post quoted an American official on Wednesday as saying that Washington informed Tel Aviv that there is a belief that Israel is seeking to isolate northern Gaza, while US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that he discussed with the Israelis the path to peace and the importance of delivering aid to the Strip and ending the war.

The Washington Post reported, citing a US State Department official, that Washington informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there is a belief that Israel is seeking to isolate northern Gaza, and that the US administration believes that Israel’s strategy is to threaten the residents of northern Gaza that they will become targets.

The newspaper indicated that Washington asked Netanyahu to announce his position, “but he refused to make this commitment,” as he and his main aide responded that this was not their policy at all, according to the newspaper.

Blinken meetings

Blinken said that he discussed with Netanyahu “charting the path to permanent peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” stressing that he stressed in Israel the importance of delivering aid to Gaza and ending the war in a way that provides permanent security and stability.

CNN quoted a senior US administration official as saying that Blinken directly asked Netanyahu whether he was adopting a plan to kill and starve in Gaza, noting that Netanyahu pledged to Blinken that his government would not adopt what is known as the “generals’ plan.”

The US State Department also said that Secretary Blinken discussed with Israeli President Isaac Herzog ongoing efforts to calm tension in the region, noting that Blinken “stressed the importance of ending the war in a way that ensures the release of hostages and creates conditions for broader regional stability.”

For its part, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Anthony Blinken “told the families of the hostages that work is underway to conclude a limited deal to test the presence of another party to negotiate,” while Haaretz newspaper said that “the families of American hostages in Gaza met with Blinken and called on him to pressure for the release of their children.”

This comes after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv yesterday, Tuesday, on his 11th visit since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza, at a time when demands inside Israel continue for the government to conclude a deal that will return prisoners from the Gaza Strip.