Secretary of State Antony Blinken agrees with a preliminary State Department report that suggests Israel violated international humanitarian law in Gaza. He cited civilian suffering and casualties as evidence that Israel may have acted inconsistently with international law but noted that definitive conclusions have not yet been reached. Blinken highlighted that Israel has internal processes to investigate alleged infractions and defended the Biden administration’s decision to halt a shipment of bombs to Israel amid its conflict with Hamas.
During an interview, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged civilian casualties in the conflict with Hamas, confirming that more civilians have been killed than terrorists. Blinken also noted the complexity of the situation, with Hamas using civilian infrastructure for cover, making it challenging to make final determinations. President Biden confirmed the US decision to halt the shipment of bombs to Israel over concerns regarding their impact on densely populated areas, specifically in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.
Blinken emphasized that the halt in weapon shipments is limited to high payload bombs, and discussions with Israel are ongoing to address the potential impact of these weapons in civilian areas. Netanyahu has expressed intentions to enter Rafah, a city with a large number of Palestinian refugees, prompting the US to demand a credible plan from Israel to ensure the safety of civilians in the event of a major ground operation. The Biden administration shares Israel’s goal of preventing Hamas from taking control and demilitarizing Gaza.
In addition to the conflict in Gaza, Blinken briefly discussed the situation in Ukraine, noting that delays in US aid have led to setbacks in the country’s efforts to fend off Russian invaders. He highlighted the importance of sending assistance quickly to support Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. The US government is working to expedite the approval and delivery of aid to Ukraine to address the challenges faced in the battle against Russian forces.
