Blinken Seeks Concrete Measures To Protect Gaza Civilians

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, embarked on his second crisis trip to the Middle East.

Blinken embarked on the trip on Thursday with a clear agenda: to request "concrete measures" from Israel aimed at minimizing harm to Gaza civilians in the wake of the recent conflict sparked by a Hamas assault. While President Joe Biden has pledged unwavering support and increased military aid to Israel in response to retaliatory strikes in Gaza, he has also taken a more empathetic tone toward Palestinian suffering, a shift that has resonated with Arab nations. Secretary Blinken, before departing from Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, stated, "We will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimize harm to men, women, and children in Gaza. This is something that the United States is committed to." Blinken is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit. These developments follow President Biden's call for Israel to permit humanitarian "pauses" to allow aid and people to flow into Gaza. However, the United States remains opposed to calls for a ceasefire from Arab nations and some European allies, asserting that Hamas is unlikely to halt hostilities and might use a truce as an opportunity to regroup. Blinken emphasized the importance of protecting civilian lives, stating, "When I see a Palestinian child -- a boy, a girl pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building -- that hits me in the gut as much as seeing a child in Israel or anywhere else. So this is something that we should respond to, and we will." The US Secretary of State's visit to the Middle East is seen as a crucial diplomatic effort to address the ongoing crisis and work towards a more sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Stay tuned to CNN for further updates on this developing story.