The US is stepping up diplomatic efforts to loosen the blockade on the Gaza Strip, as well as promote a “temporary” agreement on the truce between Israel and Hamas armed forces for humanitarian purposes.
theo reuters, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to return to the Middle East on November 3 with a mission to evacuate more foreigners from the Gaza Strip and increase aid for the people there. This is Blinken’s second visit to the region in less than a month.
In Israel on November 3, Mr Blinken will reiterate US support for Israel’s right to self-defense under international humanitarian law, according to US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. Additionally, the US Secretary of State will also discuss the need to provide humanitarian assistance while taking every precaution to minimize civilian casualties.
During a subsequent stop in Jordan, Blinken will reiterate the US commitment to ensuring that Palestinians are not forced to leave the Gaza Strip. According to Mr. Miller, the US Secretary of State will pursue negotiations led by Egypt and Qatar on the release of more than 200 hostages held by Hamas.
theo reutersSome Turkish diplomatic sources said that Mr. Blinken would also visit Ankara during the visit, but this information has not been confirmed by the US. Mr. Blinken’s final trip began on October 11, initially expected to include only 2 destinations: Israel and Jordan, but eventually 5 Arab countries were added to the program.
Police are checking the documents of a woman holding a foreign passport who was waiting for permission to leave the Gaza Strip on 2 November. Photo: Reuters
Before Mr Blinken returned to the Middle East, US President Joe Biden on November 1 also called for a temporary halt to the Israel-Hamas conflict for humanitarian purposes. White House officials said the move would allow more aid to flow into the Gaza Strip, while also opening the possibility for Hamas to release more hostages.
Meanwhile, on 7 October, hundreds of foreign passport holders and injured Palestinians were allowed to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt for the first time since the conflict began. Specifically, according to the AP, at least 435 foreign passport holders and 76 Palestinian patients were allowed to leave on November 1 and 2.
The above notable development has resulted from the agreement reached between Egypt, Israel and Hamas with the help of Qatar and the US. The detailed contents of the agreement are currently unknown. However, diplomats promise that more foreign passport holders will be able to leave the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing in the coming days.
According to the data, passport holders from 44 countries and personnel from 28 agencies, including UN agencies, lived in the Gaza Strip before the land was blocked by Israel in retaliation against Hamas. Washington alone said it was considering evacuating 400 Americans and their families.
Until now, Egypt has said it will not accept an influx of Palestinian refugees into the country because of concerns that Israel will not allow them to return to the Gaza Strip after the conflict ends. Those who remain in this land are facing shortages of food, water, medicine, fuel… More than 260 trucks carrying relief supplies have been forced to travel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border gate. has allowed. But aid groups insist this number is not enough.
