Israel-Hamas war live updates: Dire humanitarian crisis grips Gaza, Israel readies ground attack (nbcnews.com)
4m ago / 9:00 AM PDT
U.S. Sec. of State Anthony Blinken called for Arab nations to work together and the normalization of relations after a last-minute six-country tour in the Middle East.
Speaking with reporters in Egypt, Blinken said there are "two very different visions for the future and what the Middle East can and should be."
"There’s a vision that we very strongly espouse that has countries in the region, normalizing their relations, integrating working together in common purpose and upholding and bringing forth the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people," Blinken said.
"There’s another vision that Hamas has demonstrated in the most horrific way," Blinken continued. "And that’s the vision of death, of destruction, of nihilism of terrorism. That’s a vision that does nothing to advance aspirations for Palestinians."
After meeting with leaders in leaders in Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar this week, Blinken concluded that "everyone I talked to" believed in the former path he laid out for reporters.
"We have to get through this crisis first. And we’re working to do that," he said. "But we also have to get back in a very clear, practical way to that vision to making it real."
"If we do that. Everyone in this region will be in a much better place and so will they the rest of the world," Blinken added.
Blinken also reiterated that Israel has the "obligation to defend itself," just over a week after Hamas committed a deadly assault on the country.
"As I said, and Tel Aviv as President Biden has said, the way Israel does this matters," Blinken said. "It needs to do it in a way that affirms the shared values that we have for human life and human dignity, taking every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians."