Not enough international pressure on Hamas to surrender, says Blinken

The US secretary of state has suggested there should be stronger international calls for Hamas to surrender in its war with Israel.

Mr Blinken said few countries were pressuring Hamas to lay down their weapons. File pic

Antony Blinken said there seemed to be a silence on what Hamas should do to end the suffering in Gaza – with the vast amount of pressure falling on Israel.

Mr Blinken has visited Israel several times since the war started

“We hear many countries urging an end to this conflict, which we would all like to see,” he said.

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“I hear virtually no one saying, demanding of Hamas, that it stop hiding behind civilians, that it lay down its arms, that it surrender.

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by strikes on a house in Rafah. Pic: DPA/AP

“This is over tomorrow if Hamas does that,” Mr Blinken said.

But speaking at an end-of-year media conference, he again stressed Israel must do more to reduce the terrible effect on innocent people.

An Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip. Pic: Israel Defense Forces/Reuters

“We continue to believe that Israel does not have to choose between removing the threat of Hamas and minimising the toll on civilians in Gaza,” said Mr Blinken.

He said he wanted Israel to shift to more targeted attacks to save lives.

More than 20,000 people have now been killed and 52,000 wounded in Gaza since October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Millions have also been forced from their homes and are living in grim conditions with scant food, water and medicine.

Israel launched the offensive after Hamas murdered more than 1,200 people in a surprise attack and has vowed to wipe out the terror group.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh travelled to Cairo on Wednesday for talks aimed at securing another ceasefire.

Reports suggest Israel has offered a week-long pause in exchange for around 40 hostages.

Israel is under increasing pressure to free the estimated 129 people still being held by Hamas after the IDF last week accidentally killed three Israeli captives.

Egypt, Qatar and the US are mediating the indirect talks but there is currently no sign a deal is near.

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Hamas has said no more hostages will be freed until the war ends.

More than 100 Israelis and 240 Palestinian prisoners were released during a week-long truce last month.

Hopes for an end to the war still appear slim, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu maintaining that he will not stop until Hamas is wiped out.

“We will continue the war until the end. It will continue until Hamas is destroyed, until victory,” he said on Wednesday.

“Whoever thinks we will stop is detached from reality,” he added.

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At least 46 people died and more than 100 were wounded early on Wednesday in a strike on the Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, said a health ministry official.

Another attack is also said to have killed at least five people when three residential homes and a mosque were hit in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

UN aid vote delayed again

Israel says 134 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive, while it claims to have killed 7,000 militants – without providing evidence.

It blames Hamas for civilian deaths, saying it deliberately embeds itself among the population.

Meanwhile, a UN vote on an attempt to boost aid to Gaza has again been delayed at the request of America.

The 15-member UN Security Council was initially going to vote on Monday, but it has repeatedly been delayed as diplomats say the UAE and the US are struggling to agree on language.

The text – drafted by the UAE – aims to dilute Israel’s control over humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“Negotiations are ongoing and need more time. A rushed vote does not seem like it will end well,” a UN diplomat told Reuters.

The vote is now expected to happen on Thursday.