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Hamas chief's ‘advice’ to US top diplomat: ‘Be more focused on…’
Israel-Hamas War: Ismail Haniyeh said, in a video message, that he hoped Antony Blinken had "learned the lessons of the last three months".
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken should try to end Israel's "aggression" in Gaza during his current Middle East tour. The top US diplomat arrived in Turkey at the start of a trip which includes planned visits to Israel and the occupied West Bank. He will also visit several Gulf states in his fourth regional tour since fighting began with Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel that resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people, most of them civilians. The visit would focus on getting more aid into the Gaza Strip, US said.
Ismail Haniyeh said, in a video message, that he hoped Blinken had "learned the lessons of the last three months" during which Israel has bombarded Gaza. US support for Israel "has caused unprecedented massacres and war crimes against our people in Gaza", he said.
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"We... hope that he will be more focused this time on ending the aggression" as well as "the occupation of all Palestinian lands", the Qatar-based Hamas chief said, urging regional leaders due to meet Antony Blinken to tell him that stability in the Middle East was "closely linked to our Palestinian cause".
Israel's bombarding has killed at least 22,722 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza.
What Turkey said on Blinken's visit?
Turkish said that it discussed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Sweden's NATO accession process with Blinken as it held two hours of talks with in Istanbul. Blinken will also meet Turkey president Tayyip Erdogan at the start of a trip, an official said.
What Israel said on Gaza war?
Israel military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Israeli forces were maintaining a "very high state of readiness" along the border with Lebanon.
The army continues “to fight ... in the north, centre and south” in Gaza, he said.
