2023-11-30 17:46:57
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, met today with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to tell him more details about “the next phase” of the war against Hamas in Gaza, after a new extension this Thursday of the truce in force since last Friday.
“The secretary and I had the opportunity to begin to discuss the many issues we want to talk about”said Netanyahu, after receiving Blinken in his office in Jerusalem, during a meeting in which members of the War Cabinet also met, among them the Minister of Defense or the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army.
Netanyahu thanked Blinken “support from the beginning” of the United States in “the war to eliminate Hamas.”
“You have been a great help. We deeply appreciate it, and of course I would like to talk to you about the next phase” in the war, added the prime minister, in reference to the steps that Israel plans to take in its military offensive on Gaza once the temporary ceasefire ends, currently in force since last Friday and which today was extended further in exchange for the release of more hostages.
The truce is expected to last for now for one more day, after being extended this morning after long negotiations, and while Qatar, Egypt and the United States mediate between the parties for a greater extension.
Meanwhile, eight Israeli hostages from Gaza are expected to be released today, which will follow the exchange of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, a key element of the ceasefire.
Blinken visits Israel for the fourth time since the start of the war on October 7 to address the issue of the truce, the handover of captives or the entry of more humanitarian aid to the Strip.
This morning he met with the Israeli president, Isaac Hergoz, whom he said he hoped that the country’s government would now give him more detailed explanations about its plans to continue in the Gaza war.
According to the media, the Administration of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, wants more details of the plans for the offensive that Israel plans towards the south of the Strip, after starting a ground operation on October 27 where it was already under control. of the northern part and Gaza City.
In the south, hundreds of thousands of Gazans are displaced and had to evacuate from the rest of the enclave.
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