Blinken: Israel did not intend to harm Palestinians in Gaza, the target was Hamas

In depth

Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the war in Gaza in a speech delivered at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Washington. According to him, Israel needed to respond after October 7, and at the same time the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza in the days that followed must be recognized.

Blinken stressed that the Israelis did not intend to harm Palestinians, and the target was Hamas. However, he criticized the fact that Israel to some extent underestimated the welfare of Palestinian civilians, and made clear that this differs from intending to destroy them.

Blinken called for the establishment of a Palestinian state, which he said should be demilitarized. His predecessor in the post, Mike Pompeo, praised Israeli intelligence at the gathering.