US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday expressed deep concern over the significant loss of Palestinian lives and the suffering caused by the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Blinken emphasized the need to take concrete steps to minimize harm to Palestinian civilians and to maximize assistance to them. He made these remarks in a media briefing during the India-US "2+2" ministerial dialogue.
"Far too many Palestinians have been killed, far too many have suffered these past weeks. And we want to do everything possible to prevent harm to them and to maximise the assistance that gets to them," Blinken stated. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with Israel to advance these objectives and the relentless focus on the safe return of hostages.
The backdrop of these discussions is the massive military offensive by Israel in response to attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli cities. The conflict has resulted in a significant toll, with Hamas claiming around 1,400 casualties in Israel and more than 220 abductions, while Gaza has seen approximately 11,000 casualties in the Israeli offensive.
During the "2+2" dialogue, India's Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra highlighted the prominence of the Hamas-Israel conflict in the discussions. He reiterated India's stance for a two-State solution to the Palestine issue and an early resumption of dialogue. Kwatra emphasized India's condemnation of terror attacks by Hamas, calling for strict adherence to international humanitarian law, de-escalation of the situation, and condemnation of civilian casualties.
Blinken, in his remarks, assured a continued focus on expanding humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza. He emphasized the steps needed to lay the foundation for a durable and lasting peace, including the establishment of two States for two peoples.
The joint statement issued after the dialogue underscored the commitment of both the US and India to coordinate with regional partners on humanitarian assistance. It condemned the terrorist attacks against Israel, expressing solidarity and calling for adherence to international humanitarian law. The ministers advocated for the immediate release of remaining hostages and pledged to continue diplomatic coordination to prevent the conflict's escalation, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work towards a political solution and lasting peace.
(With agency inputs)
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