US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Gazans “must not be forcibly displaced”, speaking on a surprise visit Sunday to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
It was the top US diplomat’s first visit to the Palestinian territory since war erupted between Israel and Hamas following the October 7 attack that killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.
In Gaza nearly 9,800 people, also mostly civilians, have died in Israel’s retaliatory land, air and sea attack, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
“The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance and resumption of essential services in Gaza and made clear that Palestinians must not be forcibly displaced,” said a summary of the meeting released by the US State Department.
Abbas condemned what he labelled a “genocide” in comments to Blinken, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
“I have no words to describe the genocide and destruction suffered by our Palestinian people in Gaza at the hands of Israel’s war machine, with no regard for the principles of international law,” Abbas was quoted as saying.
Blinken and Abbas “discussed efforts to restore calm and stability in the West Bank, including the need to stop extremist violence against Palestinians and hold those accountable responsible”, said the State Department.
“Secretary Blinken reiterated that the United States remains committed to advancing equal measures of dignity and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike,” it said.
With AFP
