JAKARTA - United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israeli forces should avoid further losses to civilians in the Gaza Strip, the State Department said, when the two met in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
"The minister reiterated our support for Israel's right to prevent repeated terrorist attacks on October 7, emphasizing the importance of avoiding further civilian losses and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Foreign Minister Blinken and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed "an ongoing effort to ensure the release of all remaining hostages and the importance of increasing the level of humanitarian aid that reaches civilians in Gaza," Miller said.
"The minister reiterated the need to ensure lasting and sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including through the realization of the Palestinian state," he said.
Foreign Minister Blinken, who visited neighboring Arab Israeli countries to discuss plans for future Gaza's government and integration in the Middle East, said earlier they would discuss "the path forward" in the war during the meeting.
Foreign Minister Blinken met directly with PM Netanyahu at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv and then with the War Cabinet formed after the October 7 attack.
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Foreign Minister Blinken previously met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Israeli Foreign Minister Katz. Foreign Minister Blinken is also scheduled to meet with the families of the hostages held hostage by Hamas, discussing "independent efforts" to bring them back.
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