WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that the United States (US) remains against forced displacement of the people of Palestine from the Gaza Strip.
According to Arab media, the US top diplomat expressed these remarks during a phone call with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. He told his Algerian counterpart that Washington remains opposed to attempt to expel Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip.
Blinken Says Washington Remains against Forced Displacement of Palestinians
“Antony Blinken reiterated Washington’s stance that there should be no forced displacement of Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement after the call.
Matthew Miller added that Blinken also discussed matters such as maritime security in the Red Sea and increased humanitarian help for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday also held a crucial meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul. Both discussed the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and navigating concerns about the forthcoming sale of US fighter jets to Ankara.
Israel conducted airstrikes in southern Gaza on Saturday, escalating tensions in the region as the United Nations warned that the besieged Palestinian territory has become “uninhabitable” after three months of continuous bombardments. The conflict, which began on October 7, shows no signs of abating as it enters its fourth month.
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Civilians in Gaza have faced the brunt of the Israeli violence, enduring widespread displacement, destruction, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. UN Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths stated on Friday that “Gaza has simply become uninhabitable” amid the extensive destruction.
The Gaza health ministry reported over 120 deaths in the past 24 hours due to renewed Israeli bombardment. The health system is grappling with severe shortages, with the majority of hospitals in the Palestinian territory rendered inoperable.
Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh called on Blinken to focus on “ending the aggression,” blaming US support for Israel for “unprecedented massacres and war crimes” against the people of Gaza.
