The US secretary of state met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing to "rally international support'' while working to address Gaza's "grave humanitarian situation." (PIC-UNI)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed on Tuesday to help rebuild Gaza after an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas left thousands of people of homeless.
Blinken was speaking after talks in Jerusalem with the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Washington's top diplomat said tackling the humanitarian situation would be key to making an Egyptian-brokered truce hold.
"We know that to prevent a return to violence, we have to use the space created to address a larger set of underlying issues and challenges and that begins with tackling the degrading humanitarian situation in Gaza and starting to rebuild," Blinken told journalists.
He said that the United States would shortly announce pledges to help rebuild vital infrastructure, but promised that no funds would benefit Hamas, which Washington has labeled as a terrorist organization.
"We'll work with our partners closely to ensure that Hamas does not benefit from the reconstruction assistance," Blinken said.
Israel tells Hamas to stick to cease-fire
Netanyahu praised US President Joe Biden "firmly supporting Israel's right of self-defense" during the conflict that left more than 250 people dead.
But Netanyahu warned Palestinian militants that the country's military would strike back if the cease-fire is breached.
"We, too, will give meaning to our commitment to our self-defence: if Hamas breaks the calm and attacks Israel, our response will be very powerful," he said.
The long-serving prime minister, who enjoyed a close relationship with Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, said the pair also discussed how to bolster the Iron Dome missile defense system.
After his visit to Israel, Blinken will move on to Ramallah, Cairo and Amman.
He has talks planned with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah.
But it is his planned meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders that will define his trip as the region emerges from 11 days of hostilities between Israel Defense Forces and Hamas militants.
The United States harbors "every hope and expectation" the cease-fire will continue to hold, a senior State Department official said.
More than 60 children dead after 11-day conflict
The foreign minister of Egypt, whose country had brokered the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, was also making diplomatic rounds in an attempt to shore up the agreed calm.
Israeli strikes on Gaza this month killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and wounded almost 2,000 people, the Gaza health ministry said.
Rockets and other fire coming from Gaza claimed 12 lives in Israel — including one child and an Arab-Israeli teenager, an Israeli soldier, one Indian, and two Thai nationals, medics said. Some 357 people in Israel were injured.
Israel and Hamas have so far been keeping to an agreed cease-fire that came into effect early Friday.
This is an updated version of a story that was first published on May 24, 2020. It has been updated to reflect Antony Blinken's arrival in Israel.