U.S. Vows Support For Israel Ahead Of Ground Offensive As Death Toll Rises To Over 1,300
By Worthy News’ George Whitten and Stefan J. Bos
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed unending U.S. support for Israel during a visit to the country as the official death toll of Hamas attacks rose to more than 1,300. “You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, but as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to,” he said after talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ahead of an imminent Israeli ground offensive into Gaza, he urged Israel, however, to “take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians.”
He spoke as news emerged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly dropped leaflets in the city of Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip, Thursday warning residents to evacuate as Hamas is using the city for its operations.
“The operations of the Hamas terrorist organization are prompting the IDF to act against it in your areas of residence,” reads the leaflet seen by Worthy News.
“For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and go to known shelters. The IDF is not interested in harming you or your family members,” it added. “Anyone who is near Hamas operatives or their facilities will put their lives in danger. A house used by terrorist organizations will be targeted. Adhering to IDF instructions will prevent you from being exposed to danger.”
Earlier, Israel warned that the siege of Gaza would not end until Israeli hostages were released. “No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened, and no fuel truck will enter,” said Energy Minister Israel Katz.
At least 150 hostages were taken into Gaza during Hamas’s deadly surprise attacks on Israel at the weekend that killed 1,300 people, including even toddlers and babies, officials said.
More than 1,300 have also been killed in Gaza since Israel launched retaliatory air strikes, with 338,000 displaced, according to local authorities. Israel says Hamas deliberately places its weapons at civilian sites such as schools, hospitals, and residential buildings and uses civilians as human shields, increasing the death
On Wednesday, the only power station in Gaza ran out of fuel, meaning the territory relies on generators for hospitals and morgues.
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