After attending a meeting of NATO ministers in Brussels, United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar opens up a great opportunity to negotiate a lasting ceasefire.
He added that American forces in the Middle East are ready to support Israel’s defense.
“Sinwar’s death also provides an extraordinary opportunity to achieve a lasting ceasefire, to end this terrible war and to send humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he said.
Understand the conflict in the Gaza Strip
Israel has carried out intense airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since last year, after Hamas invaded the country and killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli counts. Furthermore, the radical group holds dozens of hostages.
Hamas does not recognize Israel as a state and claims Israeli territory for Palestine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly promised to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and recover people detained in Gaza.
In addition to the air offensive, the Israeli Army carries out land incursions into Palestinian territory. This caused much of Gaza’s population to be displaced.
The UN and several humanitarian institutions have warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, with a lack of food, medicine and the spread of diseases.
About a year into the conflict, the Israeli population took to the streets in protests against Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of failing to reach a ceasefire agreement so the hostages could be released.
This content was originally published in Death of Hamas leader creates chance for ceasefire, says US Secretary of Defense on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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