Blinken blames Hamas for breaking truce with Israel: Netanyahu announces the creation of a security zone in Gaza

With the end of the truce between Israel and Hamas, bombings and artillery exchanges between Gaza and southern Israel have resumed. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced airstrikes on around 200 Hamas targets.

The Islamist group reported at least 100 deaths as a result of Friday's attacks, all within Gaza. Palestinian forces were, according to Israel, the first to break the truce, and throughout the day, they launched several waves of rockets at Israeli positions. Around 90 rockets were launched into Israeli territory, while there were another unknown number of attacks against IDF troops stationed in Gaza.

Meanwhile, in the Middle East, there has been intense diplomatic activity on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. From there, regional leaders have asked Hamas and Israel to resume the truce, which ended with 137 hostages still in the hands of the terrorist group.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also traveled to the region and met with Benjamin Netanyahu. During this meeting, the Israeli prime minister reportedly informed Blinken that the IDF will establish a security zone in Gaza after the war. Several Israeli media have cited sources close to the prime minister's cabinet to support these claims. Until now, the United States was opposed to Gaza losing territory once the ground operation is over. However, the Biden administration was also opposed to said operation, which has now been underway for several weeks.

In Israel, Blinken reiterated his support for the Israeli government by declaring that the truce came to an end because of Hamas. "It committed an atrocious terrorist attack in Jerusalem, killing three people and wounding others, including Americans. ... It began firing rockets before the pause ended, and as I said it reneged on the commitments it made in terms of releasing certain hostages," the secretary of state told the media.

Prior to the violation of the truce, the United States had asked those involved in the negotiations to work for an extension of the truce. Now, Blinken's goal is the release of the hostages.

The Biden administration will not issue visas for Israeli settlers

The White House intends to ban the issuance of visas for Israeli settlers. The secretary of state announced this to Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit, and the federal government is expected to make the announcement in the coming days or weeks. The AFP was able to confirm this information and quotes several advisors to the Biden administration.

The bans target Israeli settlers who may have been involved in attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. AFP sources assure that the U.S. will not directly communicate the names of these extremist settlers. Rather, they will remain undisclosed, intended to serve as a deterrent against attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.