UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY US SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN
By Gozde Bayar and Seda Sevencan
ANKARA / ISTANBUL (AA) — Humanitarian supplies entering the Gaza Strip are not enough, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Blinken stressed the need to increase the sustained flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and getting American citizens and other foreign nationals out of the besieged Palestinian enclave.
"Since we reached agreement with Israel, Egypt, and the United Nations two weeks ago on mechanisms to enable humanitarian aid to begin reaching civilians in need, we have scaled up deliveries.
"We've gone from zero to now over 100 trucks going into Gaza through the Rafah crossing every day. But this is still not enough," he said
*Underlining the need to do more to protect Palestinian civilians, he said: "There will be no partners for peace if they're consumed by humanitarian catastrophe and alienated by any perceived indifference to their plight."
During his meeting with Israeli officials, he emphasized that the "protection of civilians must take place not just in Gaza but also in the West Bank."
Following the meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken said they talked about the possibility of "humanitarian pauses" to secure the release of hostages and the distribution of aid in Gaza.
"We believe that each of these efforts (to protect Palestinian civilians and increase aid into Gaza) would be facilitated by humanitarian pauses, by arrangements on the ground that increase security for civilians and permit the more effective and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance," he said.
The US has been very clear that no second or third front be opened in the Israel-Hamas conflict, he underlined.
"With regard to Lebanon, with regard to Hezbollah, with regard to Iran — we have been very clear from the outset that we are determined that there not be a second or third front opened in this conflict."
Blinken said that the two-state solution is the "only path" to ensure lasting security for a Jewish, democratic Israel and Palestinians realizing their legitimate right to live in the state of their own.
"The best path, maybe even the only path, as I said, is through two states for two peoples."
Blinken stressed that the pre-Oct. 7 status quo could not continue in Gaza, adding: "We know that Israel cannot assume control and responsibility of Gaza."
Earlier, Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv, marking his third visit to Israel since the start of the conflict on Oct. 7.
The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the surprise offensive by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Nearly 10,800 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 9,240 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.