WASHINGTON: The United States (US) today (Monday) requested “details” and a “justification” from Israel for an airstrike on a Gaza building housing international media outlets, including Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
The development came after pressure increased on the Biden administration to ask for a ceasefire in the latest flare-up between Israel and Hamas — the Gaza Strip’s rulers. “Shortly after the strike we did request additional details regarding a justification for it,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
However, he declined to discuss specific intelligence, saying he “will leave it to others to characterise if any information has been shared and our assessment [of] that information”. Blinken added that he had not personally seen any information shared by Israeli authorities.
“Israel has a special responsibility to protect civilians in the course of its self-defence, and that most certainly includes journalists,” Blinken added. He also urged all parties in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians to protect civilians and said the United States is working intensively to an end to the violence.
“We have been working around the clock through diplomatic channels to try to bring an end to the conflict,” he said, adding, “The US remains greatly concerned by the escalating violence. Hundreds of people killed or injured, including children being pulled from the rubble.”
The fighting entered a second week on Monday as Israel bombed targets in Gaza and Palestinian fighters fired rocket barrages at Israeli cities. Gaza health officials put the Palestinian death toll since the hostilities flared at 198, including 58 children and 34 women.
