Blinken asks Israel to protect civilians, aid workers in Gaza

Tel Aviv, May 13 The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has called upon the Israeli government to urgently take steps to prevent the loss of lives of civilians and aid workers in Gaza during the ongoing war.

Israel's Defence Minister‘s Office told IANS that Blinken sounded this to the Israel Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant when the latter briefed him on the telephone about the situation in Gaza, including the Rafah operations.

The US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller in a statement mentioned that Blinken had spoken to Gallant and underscored the urgent need to protect the lives of civilians and aid workers.

Miller in the statement also said that Blinken has affirmed the US commitment to Israel’s security and the shared objective of the defeat of Hamas.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns had on Sunday offered Israel to help secure Hamas military leader, Yahya Sinwar if Israel put an end to Rafah's invasion.

According to sources in the Israel Defence Ministry, the Israeli Army has already evacuated several thousand people from the Rafah area and ground invasion was continuing.

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