As the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas continues to escalate, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, finds himself facing mounting anger during his diplomatic tour in the Middle East.
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In a tragic turn of events, the ongoing deadly conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group resulted in the death of at least 51 Palestinians, a majority of whom were women and children, in an Israeli bombardment of Gaza’s Maghazi camp on Saturday night, according to reports from the news agency Reuters, citing the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Key Developments on the Israel-Palestine Conflict:
- Amid a rising toll of casualties among Palestinian civilians, there is a noticeable divide between the United States and its Arab allies regarding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, aimed at ousting Hamas. While Israel, with the backing of Washington, resists calls for an immediate ceasefire, Arab foreign ministers have exerted pressure on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently on a diplomatic tour in the Middle East, to persuade Israel to accept a truce.
- During his meeting with Najib Mikati, the acting prime minister of Lebanon in Amman, Blinken expressed his “deep concern” regarding the crossfire along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.
- The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas reported that more than sixty individuals were missing on Saturday due to Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
- In the midst of these developments, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen extended his gratitude to his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, for India’s support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas. He emphasized that the war against Hamas is a collective endeavor of the democratic world against a reprehensible terrorist organization, which he deemed worse than ISIS.
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The Israel-Hamas conflict continues to draw international attention and raises concerns over the safety of civilians in the region. This article provides an overview of the latest updates on the situation.