2 weeks Ago
From 1h ago 11.51 CET US wants 'real and extended pauses' in fighting in Gaza, Blinken says The US wants "real and extended pauses" in fighting in Gaza so assistance can get to people who need it, but the best way to help people would be to end the war, US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Wednesday. "Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the goals that it set for itself," Blinken told reporters during a visit to Brussels, according to Reuters.
Blinken added: This should be a time to end the war." On Tuesday, after the expiry of a 30-day US deadline for Israel to take steps to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Washington said Israel was not blocking aid to Gaza and therefore not violating US law. However, eight international aid groups said Israel had failed to meet the US demands to improve access for assistance.
Food security experts have said it is likely that famine is imminent in parts of Gaza. US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, talks to the press after a meeting at Nato's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/EPA Blinken said Israel had taken multiple steps to address the humanitarian crisis ahead of the deadline set by outgoing president Joe Biden's administration – but that more was needed.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Blinken told reporters on Wednesday: We need to see real and extended pauses in large areas of Gaza, pauses in any fighting, any combat, so that the assistance can effectively get to people who need it." Last month, Blinken and Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israel setting a 13 November deadline to comply with US law on permitting humanitarian assistance, or risk a cut to military aid. "The intent was to inject a sense of urgency with Israel to take necessary steps to address the dire humanitarian situation," Blinken said on Wednesday.
Israel has since moved to implement 12 of the 15 steps the US urged action on, but "three big issues"...
Amy Sedghi , Jason Burke , Robert Tait.
