Blinken says 'more needs to be done' to save Palestinian lives

Ahram Online , AP , Friday 10 Nov 2023

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that “far too many” Palestinians have suffered and died as Israel wages a relentless war in Gaza.


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives to address the media at the end of the India-US '2+2' ministerial dialogue in New Delhi on November 10, 2023. AFP

 

 

Speaking in New Delhi at the end of an intense nine-day diplomatic tour of the Middle East and Asia, Blinken said that “far too many Palestinians have been killed, far too many have suffered these past weeks” and that everything possible should be done to prevent their harm and maximize the assistance they receive.

US officials have said they would like to see Israel introduce longer “humanitarian pauses” that would cover wider areas, as well as exponentially expand the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza from Egypt.

US top diplomat along with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin held talks on Friday in New Delhi, seeking to bolster India as a regional counterweight to China and win backing for its position on the Israeli war on Gaza.

Blinken and Austin joined Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh for annual "two-plus-two" talks, which India said would focus on defence and security cooperation.

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