Israel-Hamas War LIVE: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called on Israel to take “urgent” action to stop settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. He made the plea in a telephone call with Benny Gantz, an opposition leader who joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet. The US official “stressed the urgent need for affirmative steps to de-escalate tensions in the West Bank, including by confronting rising levels of settler extremist violence”.
Unlike the Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas control, the West Bank is largely under Israeli occupation with limited autonomy by the Palestinian Authority, whose leaders are enemies of Hamas. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank say they have faced increased harassment from Israeli settlers since the war began.
Around 240 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attacks, which killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, said Israeli officials. Since then, Hamas government officials say Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive have killed more than 11,500 people, mostly civilians and including thousands of children.
Catch all the LIVE Updates on the Israel-Hamas war here,
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu holds a press conference in Tel Aviv
sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv , Israel , 28 October 2023.
Israel ‘not successful’ in bid to minimize Gaza civilian casualties, says PM Netanyahu
Israel is doing all it can to get civilians out of harm’s way as it battles Hamas in Gaza, including dropping leaflets warning them to flee, but its attempts to minimize casualties were “not successful”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.
Blinken asks Israel for ‘urgent’ action against settler violence
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called on Israel to take “urgent” action to stop settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
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