Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met in Washington on Monday as the Biden administration struggles to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and prevent a war with Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.
The meeting comes at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly accused the US of not sending arms during the Gaza campaign that began nearly nine months ago with Hamas attacking Israel.
The White House has denied that the weapons were withheld, and the State Department’s report on the Blinken-Gallant encounter did not mention the weapons dispute.
The department said Blinken discussed efforts to free Israeli hostages and urged Gallant “to take additional steps to protect humanitarian workers in Gaza and ensure the delivery of aid throughout Gaza in full coordination with the United Nations.”
The secretary also underscored “the importance of preventing further escalation of the conflict and reaching a diplomatic solution that would allow both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes.”
Earlier: Netanyahu expressed hope for an end to arms dispute after Galant’s visit to US
US envoy Amos Hochstein traveled to the Middle East last week to try to ease tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which have threatened to escalate into a full-blown war.
Gallant was also expected to meet Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The Biden administration has been increasingly critical of Israel’s offensive to root out Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by the US and the EU. Nearly 37,000 people have been killed in the ensuing war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
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