[1/3] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, during his visit to Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel November 3, 2023.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsTEL AVIV, Nov 3 (Reuters) - U.S. top diplomat Antony Blinken on Friday said Israel must protect civilians in its bombardment of Gaza, as he returned for more talks with Israel's leaders as its armed forces press a ground offensive in the Hamas-controlled strip.
Herzog said Israel was going to great lengths to notify residents of airstrikes, holding up one of the pamphlets that he said Israel has dropped telling civilians to leave north Gaza.
Families of some of the more than 240 people taken hostage by Hamas gathered outside the military complex in Tel Aviv where Blinken was meeting with Israel's leaders.
Israel says Hamas killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 240 hostages in the attacks on Oct. 7, the deadliest day of its 75-year history.
Persons:
Antony Blinken, Isaac Herzog, Jonathan Ernst, Israel, Blinken, Herzog, Netanyahu, Simon Lewis, Ari Rabinovich, Andrew Cawthorne
Organizations:
Hamas, REUTERS, Washington, Thomson
Locations:
Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, TEL AVIV, Gaza, Washington