Credits: ABS-CBN News
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern over the “unacceptably high” civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip during a meeting with two top Israeli officials on Monday. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reported the discussions, which highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Israeli military has conducted several deadly attacks recently, including strikes on a refugee camp and multiple UN-run schools sheltering civilians. “Casualties remain unacceptably high. We continue to see far too many civilians killed in this conflict,” Miller stated to the press.
On Saturday, more than 90 people were killed in the Al-Mawasi camp near Khan Yunis due to Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. AFP described scenes of chaos, with sirens wailing and women screaming as children were pulled, bloody and unmoving, from the wreckage in what Israel had designated a “safe zone.”
The Israeli military claimed the bombardment targeted two key Hamas figures — Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’s military wing, and his associate Rafa Salama, who the army confirmed was killed. While a Hamas official indicated that Deif was “well and directly overseeing” operations, there remains uncertainty about his fate.
During the discussions, the Israeli officials informed Blinken that they still lack certainty regarding Deif’s status. The bilateral talks also covered topics such as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian aid for Gaza, and post-war strategies, Miller noted.
This dialogue occurs just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s anticipated address to the US Congress on July 24. Miller conveyed Israel’s ongoing commitment to reaching a ceasefire and their dedication to a proposed plan.
The US has consistently defended Israel following the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, based on an AFP tally from Israeli figures. During the attack, militants took 251 hostages, with 116 still in Gaza, including 42 whom the military believes are dead.
The Israeli military’s offensive has led to at least 38,584 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to Gaza health ministry data. President Joe Biden is facing increasing political pressure over the situation in Gaza.
“We are incredibly troubled by the ongoing deaths of Palestinians in Gaza,” Miller expressed on Monday when questioned about US-supplied weapons to Israel. In response to these concerns, Hamas announced its withdrawal from ceasefire negotiations, further diminishing prospects for a truce and hostage release deal.
Blinken’s meeting with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi underscored the US’s serious concern over the civilian casualties in Gaza.
