Blinken tells Israeli government that Palestinians must be allowed to return to homes in Gaza

CNN —

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made clear to the Israeli government that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza “as soon as conditions allow” and must not be displaced from the strip, the top US diplomat said Tuesday.

Blinken announced that the Israeli government had agreed to a plan to allow a United Nations assessment mission to northern Gaza as the Israeli offensive there shifts to a new phase.

“It will determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north,” Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv.

In a day of talks with top Israeli officials, Blinken said he reaffirmed US support for Israel “ensuring that October 7 can never happen again,” while also calling on the government to do more to mitigate civilian casualties. He also discussed the efforts to secure the release of hostages who remain held by Hamas.

Blinken has made five visits to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attacks as the Biden administration sought to keep pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It’s our unique bond and America’s enduring commitment to the people of Israel that allows, indeed demands, that we’re as forthright as possible in the moments when the stakes are highest, when the choices matter the most. This is one of those moments,” he Tuesday.

Indeed, the stakes of the secretary’s latest visit couldn’t be higher as concerns mount over the war spilling out into the wider region and the humanitarian toll continues to grow. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the Israeli offensive, millions have been displaced, and the entire population in the war-torn strip faces the risk of famine, the UN has warned.