TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Israeli leaders to respect international law as Israel wages its war against Hamas in Gaza. Blinken said Thursday the U.S. remains committed to supporting Israel’s right to self defense but he also said it is imperative that Israel protect civilians if it starts major military operations in southern Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter in southern Gaza after fleeing their homes in the northern part of the territory. The message aligns with the Biden administration’s shifting rhetoric on the war, which began as a full-throated embrace of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks but gradually tempered as Palestinian civilian casualties began to rise, prompting widespread criticism.
