U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to present alternatives to Israel’s planned ground offensive into the southern Gaza town of Rafah during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet on Friday.
During his sixth visit to the region since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, Blinken engaged with Arab leaders on Thursday to discuss potential cease-fire efforts and ideas for Gaza’s post-conflict reconstruction.
However, growing tensions between Netanyahu and President Joe Biden over Israel’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war are likely to overshadow this week’s talks, despite the Biden administration’s unwavering policy of providing crucial military aid and diplomatic support to Israel.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the Health Ministry reporting nearly 32,000 Palestinian casualties, two-thirds of whom are women and children. The international community has warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza.
Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack from Gaza on October 7, resulting in 1,200 Israeli casualties and the abduction of 250 people. Hamas is believed to be holding around 100 hostages, as well as the remains of 30 others.
In a separate development, House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed his intention to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. Johnson stated, “I would love to have him come in and address a joint session of Congress. We’ll certainly extend that invitation.”
This invitation comes amid growing Republican support for Netanyahu, following Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for new elections in Israel due to the prime minister’s perceived obstruction of peace efforts and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Meanwhile, an ongoing case at the International Court of Justice accuses Netanyahu’s government of breaching the Genocide Convention through its military actions in Gaza against Hamas. Israel vehemently denies these allegations.
As the conflict rages on, the international community remains focused on finding a diplomatic solution and addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.
(With Inputs from AP)
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