Secretary of State Blinken Reportedly Told Israeli Officials, ‘We Don’t Want To Stop You’ from Striking Gaza

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli officials that instituting a humanitarian pause will ultimately help buy additional time to execute a ground invasion of Gaza, according to Axios.

Citing one American official and three Israel officials familiar with the talks, the publication said Blinken underscored the increasing domestic pressure President Joe Biden faces amid surging Palestinian casualties. Israel has been conducting strikes against Hamas-controlled Gaza after the group carried out a series of terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 that killed 1,400 people. More than 200 were abducted.

The Health Ministry in Gaza claims more than 9,200 Palestinians have been killed since the military campaign began, including civilians who died in three Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp. Israel said it conducted the bombings to kill Hamas terrorists.

“Blinken’s message, according to one U.S. and two Israeli officials, was: ‘We don’t want to stop you, but help us help you get more time,'” Axios reported on Friday night.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said no such pause will happen until the hostages are freed.

“The Biden administration is with us but they have their constraints — also domestically,” a senior Israeli official told Axios. “We want to help them.”

Blinken is scheduled to meet with Arab leaders in Jordan on Saturday to discuss the conflict.

The war has been a lightning rod of an issue in the U.S., with an increasing number of voices demanding a humanitarian pause to allow aid to enter Gaza. Some have called for an outright ceasefire.

“I think we need a pause,” Biden said upon being confronted by a heckler during a campaign speech on Wednesday.