Blinken meets with Israeli leadership as war in Gaza rages

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday visited the West Bank, Cyprus and Baghdad, Iraq to push for diplomacy. Blinken on Friday urged Israel to consider humanitarian pauses in the fighting to allow aid into Gaza and to free the estimated 245 hostages it is holding. Israel is opposed to any temporary cease-fire unless Hamas terrorists release all hostages, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Blinken acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself while also calling for more effort to protect Palestinian civilians. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that Israel sent millions of text messages and phone calls to citizens of Gaza before launching attacks, warning them to evacuate.

How are other terrorist groups reacting to the conflict? Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday spoke publicly for the first time since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. He called on other Arab and Muslim countries to sever ties with Israel and to end the bombardment of Gaza. The Iran-backed militia has been launching airstrikes against Israel this week from its positions in Lebanon. Nasrallah stopped short of saying his group would fully enter the war.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in WORLD Opinions about what Hamas represents.