US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday called for the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip and Israel as he stepped up diplomatic operations in the Middle East and beyond to mobilize an international response and prevent an expansion of the Israel-Hamas war.
Blinken met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh before stopping in the United Arab Emirates to look for ways to help civilians caught between the fighting and address the growing humanitarian crisis . He also called his Chinese counterpart as Palestinians struggled to flee areas in the Gaza Strip under attack by the Israeli military ahead of an expected land offensive.
His efforts reflect international concerns about the number of civilians at risk and the potential consequences of a prolonged war, as Israel urged Gazans to move south and Hamas urged people to stay in their homes. The Biden administration – from President Joe Biden to his Pentagon chief and top diplomats on their recent visits to the Middle East – has not publicly called on Israel to restrain its response after the Hamas attack a week ago, but rather the country’s commitment to Compliance with the rules of war emphasized.
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During visits with leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Blinken cited the need for humanitarian assistance and safe passage for those seeking to leave Gaza while speaking to Arab audiences from their homeland, where his hosts addressed the issue at the forefront of their concerns.
An Israeli ground attack would worsen the plight of civilians in Gaza, who are without electricity, fresh water or access to aid. Egyptian officials said the southern Rafah border crossing would reopen later on Saturday for the first time in days to allow foreigners to leave. Israel has advised all Palestinian civilians to flee south to escape Israel’s ongoing offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza City.
Blinken also called on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to seek his country’s help to prevent the war from expanding and urged Beijing to use its full influence in the Middle East. Blinken’s spokesman declined to characterize Wang’s response but said the U.S. believes China and China share a common interest in the region’s stability.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken exits his plane upon his arrival in Doha on October 13, 2023. Blinken began a tour of Arab capitals on October 12 to build pressure on Hamas as Israel prepares a likely major offensive in the Gaza Strip to counter the militants’ attacks . JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
In Riyadh, Blinken and Prince Faisal stressed the importance of minimizing harm to civilians as Israel prepared for an expected attack on Hamas, a week after the militant group’s unprecedented attack on Israel.
“As Israel pursues its legitimate right to defend its people and ensure that something like this never happens again, it is critical that we all pay attention to civilians, and we are working together to do just that,” Blinken said.
“None of us want to see civilians suffer on any side, be it in Israel, be it in Gaza, be it anywhere else,” Blinken said.
The Saudi minister said the kingdom is committed to protecting civilians.
“It’s a worrying situation,” he said. “It is a very difficult situation. And as you know, the main sufferers of this situation are civilians, and civilians on both sides are affected, and it is important, I think, that we all condemn attacks on civilians in any form at any time by anyone.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (CL) meets with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (CR) in Lusail on October 13, 2023. Blinken began a tour of Arab capitals on October 12 to build pressure on Hamas at the same time Israel is likely preparing a massive offensive in the Gaza Strip following the militants’ attacks. JACQUELYN MARTIN/AFP/ via Getty Images
A US official said on Saturday that Washington had not asked Israel to slow or shelve the evacuation plan. The official said discussions with Israeli leaders emphasized the importance of considering the safety of civilians while the Israeli military enforced the evacuation request.
The official, who was not authorized to discuss the private discussions publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israeli leaders noted and acknowledged the leadership.
A senior U.S. official traveling with Blinken said an agreement in principle had been worked out between Egypt, Israel and Qatar to allow Palestinian Americans and other dual citizens in Gaza to cross the Rafah border into Egypt sometime on Saturday. But by sunset there was no sign that the masses of foreigners and other people gathered there would be allowed through. An estimated 500 Americans live in Gaza, but that number is inaccurate, officials said.
The US State Department on Saturday authorized the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and their family members from the American embassy in Jerusalem and an office in Tel Aviv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (r) watches as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes statements to the media. JACQUELYN MARTIN/AFP via Getty Images
Prince Faisal said it was essential to end the violence between Israel and Hamas.
“We must work together to find a way out of this vicious cycle of violence,” he said. “Without a concerted effort to end this constant return of violence, it will always be civilians who suffer first, and it will always be civilians on both sides who end up paying the price.”
While in Abu Dhabi, Blinken visited the Abrahamic Family House, a complex consisting of a church, a mosque and a synagogue representing the three Abrahamic faiths. He signed a tile that read “Light in the Darkness.”
Blinken planned to return to Saudi Arabia and then stop in Egypt on Sunday. He has already visited Israel, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.
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