Key takeaways:
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for the protection of civilians in both the Gaza Strip and Israel.
- Blinken is in the United Arab Emirates seeking ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting and to address the growing humanitarian crisis.
- The U.S. is working to broker a ceasefire between the two sides, and Blinken has urged both sides to take steps to protect civilians and to de-escalate the situation.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for the protection of civilians in both the Gaza Strip and Israel as the Israeli military ordered half of the Palestinian territory’s population to evacuate in advance of an expected ground assault.
Blinken met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Saturday, as he began a third day of intense Middle East diplomacy aimed at preventing the Israel-Hamas war from expanding into a regional conflict and fueling a humanitarian crisis.
The Secretary of State’s efforts reflect the international concern about the number of civilians at risk and the potential ramifications of a prolonged conflict. He is now in the United Arab Emirates, where he is seeking ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting and to address the growing humanitarian crisis.
Blinken has also been in contact with world leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to discuss the situation in the region. He has also spoken with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
The U.S. is working to broker a ceasefire between the two sides, and Blinken has said that the U.S. is committed to finding a lasting solution to the conflict. He has also urged both sides to take steps to protect civilians and to de-escalate the situation.
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