In his social media post marking 100 days of Israeli war, the US secretary of state makes no mention of Palestinian deaths.
The Palestinian mission to the United Nations has criticized US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for failing to mention some 24,000 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip in his message commemorating 100 days of the Israeli war.
“Shame on those who remain complicit and do not call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Shame on them,” the mission said Monday in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Blinken’s social media post Sunday evening referred only to the prisoners taken by Hamas, saying the United States was committed to bringing them back because “100 days of captivity in Gaza is far too long.”
100 days and not a single mention of the nearly 24,000 people killed – half of them children. Shame on those who remain complicit and do not call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Shame on them @POTUS @SecBlinken @USUN
– State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) January 15, 2024
A total of 24,100 Palestinians – including more than 9,600 children – have been killed and around 61,000 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack inside Israeli territory.
Israeli authorities say Hamas fighters killed 1,139 people that day and took more than 200 prisoners, about 132 of whom remain in Gaza. On Sunday, a Reuters news agency report, citing Israeli officials, said at least 25 of them had died in captivity.
The remaining captives were exchanged during a week-long truce in November.
Even the White House statement marking the 100th day of the war on Gaza made no mention of the Palestinian killings and displacement of residents.
In his message, US President Joe Biden lamented the capture of the captives, saying that “for each of these 100 days, the hostages and their families have been at the forefront of my concerns.”
Biden praised U.S. efforts to return the captives and blamed Hamas for failing to extend a deal to return more.
Meanwhile, Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza continues with no sign of abating, as the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave deepens and the threat of a regional spillover of the war looms.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war will “continue until victory” but he faces domestic pressure to return the captives.
Global calls to end the war continue, with rallies held around the world and the US capital seeing one of the largest turnouts on record.