UPDATE – US' Blinken meets Israel’s Netanyahu, calls for protecting civilians amid Gaza war

UPDATES WITH DETAILS, REVISES HEADLINE, LEAD, ADDS CHANGES

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called for protecting civilians following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.

Blinken said he reaffirmed US support for Israel’s right to prevent another Oct. 7 attack by Hamas from occurring.

"I also stressed the importance of avoiding civilian harm, protecting civilian infrastructure, and ensuring the distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza," he added on X.

Blinken, on his fourth mission to the region since October, seeks to prevent an expansion of the conflict in the region amid the deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

"I found leaders who are determined to prevent the conflict from spreading," the chief diplomat said.

Netanyahu’s office earlier said that the Israeli premier held a private meeting with Blinken, without providing any details about its content.

Ahead of the meeting, Blinken held talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

“Minister Katz extended appreciation to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Blinken for their steadfast support for the State of Israel since the incident on Oct. 7. This support has manifested in various forms and means,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Israel has pounded the Palestinian enclave since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 23,210 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 59,167 others, according to local health authorities.

Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas offensive.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced, while all of them are food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and ⁠less than half of aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio