His remarks came amid a flurry of statements from Washington officials against such a scenario after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will have “indefinite” overall security control of the Palestinian enclave once it has destroyed Hamas and removed it from power.
War erupted on October 7 when hordes of Hamas terrorists from Gaza invaded Israel, massacring over 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and abducting at least 240 men, women, and children, who are being held captive in Gaza. The attack came under the cover of thousands of rockets fired at Israeli population centers. Israel has responded with a military campaign while vowing to eradicate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007.
Speaking to reporters after G7 foreign ministers held talks in Japan, Blinken listed what he said was needed in order to create “durable peace and security.”
“The United States believes key elements should include: no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, not now, not after the war; no use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism or other violent attacks; no reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict ends,” Blinken said. READ MORE