Reaffirming US commitment amid the ongoing war with terror group Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US stands with Israel “today, tomorrow and every day” as it defends its people and shared values.
Antony Blinken expressed his understanding of the horrific situation Israel faced following the brutal attack by Hamas, and he acknowledged the deep determination within Israel to prevail.
Addressing the media, US Secretary Antony Blinken also recalled the horrific condition after the gruesome and brutal attack by Hamas.
“United States stands with Israel today, tomorrow, every day…I think it’s almost impossible for any of us to comprehend on a human level with what Israel has experienced at the hands of Hamas these last few days. But we are determined to be with you as you defend your people and defend the values that join us together,” Antony Blinken said.
He added, “What we’ve seen, I think, will be very hard to erase from our minds and certainly our hearts. But I sense a fierce determination in Israel to prevail, and prevail Israel will, and the United States is here as your partner to help ensure that you do”.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked Blinken and the US for their continuous support and added that the security and defence of the Israeli people is the highest priority at the moment.
“One thing is clear. Because of that day – it’s the highest number of Jews ever killed since the Holocaust – I think we must be clear that this is not only unacceptable, which the president said, but the sense of security and defence that the people of Israel deserve is something which is of highest priority so that these pictures will never occur,” Isaac Herzog said.
He added, “So we thank you deeply for your friendship and your visit. And I’m hopeful that it will also add another brick in our fight for security for all our people, so that they one day we can project the vision of peace after overcoming, prevailing, and winning”.
Earlier in the day, Antony Blinken also met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and affirmed US’ commitment to support Israel.
“The message that I bring to Israel is this — you may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, but as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there by your side,” The Times of Israel quoted Blinken as saying.
He added, “That’s the message that President Joe Biden delivered to the prime minister from the moment that this crisis began”.
Notably, the death toll in Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7 has jumped to 1,300 and some 3300 have been injured, including 28 in critical condition and 350 in serious condition, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew media reports.
The fate of an estimated 150 people abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip during the attack by Hamas is still unclear, the report said.
(with inputs from ANI)
