Washington, Mar. 5, (dpa/GNA) – US Vice President Kamala Harris received Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet, for talks at the White House on Monday, a day after she delivered strong criticism of Israel’s approach to the war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Following the meeting, the White House said Harris had expressed to Gantz, a former defence minister, her “deep concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the recent horrific tragedy around an aid convoy in northern Gaza,” in which more than 100 Palestinians were killed while trying to get supplies.
The vice president was said to have spoken about the urgency of a hostage and truce agreement.
She called on Hamas to accept the terms on the table “whereby the release of hostages would result in an immediate six-week ceasefire and enable a surge of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza,” according to the White House statement.
The two also discussed the situation in the southern city of Rafah and the need for a viable humanitarian plan before considering a major Israeli military operation there, that statement said.
Because of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the US government has been toughening its tone towards the Israeli government for weeks – and is calling on Israel to allow significantly more aid into the coastal area and to open new border crossings.
On Sunday, Harris described the conditions for the people in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli bombardment for around five months, as “inhumane” and a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
“What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating,” she said. “We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed, women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care, and children dying from malnutrition and dehydration.”
“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to act,” Harris said.
Gantz’s trip to Washington was the subject of speculation in the US and Israel.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said when asked on Monday that the meeting had been organized at Gantz’s request.
He is said to have travelled to Washington against the wishes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media reports.
The Times of Israel reported that the prime minister refused to sign off on Gantz’s visit, “which he views as part of an effort to undermine his authority.”
Netanyahu reportedly instructed the Israeli ambassador in the US capital not to grant his minister any protocol support, aiming to degrade the visit to a private visit.
Gantz, an opposition politician, was invited to join Netanyahu’s war Cabinet, which was hastily formed in the wake of the October 7 attack. Members of the war Cabinet have a say in the most important military decisions.
According to observers, the former general plays more of a moderating role in the Cabinet.
In opinion polls, the centre-right National Union party led by Gantz is now clearly in the lead and has become the strongest force in the anti-Netanyahu camp, while the prime minister’s Likud party has seen voter support dwindle.
If there were to be new elections – and if Gantz could maintain his poll ratings – he would be the next prime minister.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also due to meet with Gantz on Tuesday.
GNA