“At our request, the United States and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian assistance from donor countries and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza,” Blinken said.
He said the two sides were discussing “the possibility of creating zones to help keep civilians out of harm’s way.”
He said, “We welcome the commitment of the Israeli government to work on this plan. The President looks forward to discussing it further when he arrives here on Wednesday.”
Biden has vowed unwavering solidarity with Israel after it faced the worst attack in its 75-year history. But he has also expressed concern about more serious proposals that could affect civilians in Gaza and previously pressured Israel to reverse a decision to cut off water supplies.
“We share Israel’s concern that Hamas could seize or destroy aid entering Gaza or prevent it from reaching those in need,” Blinken said.
“If Hamas prevents humanitarian aid from reaching civilians in any way, including by confiscating aid, we will be the first to condemn it and we will work to prevent it from happening again.”