Blinken says Israel has taken steps ‘immediately today’ to reduce civilian deaths

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the media prior to departure from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, Dec. 1.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that Israel is taking steps to “get people out of harm’s way” as it has resumed its military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.  

“On the civilian protection and humanitarian assistance piece of this, that is absolutely imperative, and we saw Israel take steps immediately today, to start to get information to people about where safe areas are, how they can get out of harm’s way,” Blinken said in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP28 climate change conference, according to the Associated Press. 

Blinken said it was too early to say if Israel had fully followed through on commitments he said the Israelis had given him to ensure that any military operation in southern Gaza not produce similarly high death tolls as its earlier operations in northern Gaza, the AP also reported. 

Palestinian health officials are claiming dozens of people have already been killed Friday in Gaza as Hamas continues to hold onto hostages captured at the start of the war on Oct. 7.