Iraq is calling on the United States to exert pressure on Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said during a visit to Washington, as reported by Politico.
"We are asking them to exert pressure on Israel to end the war and allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza," Hussein stated. He did not specify which US officials he had approached with the request.
On Tuesday, Hussein met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Assistant to the President for National Security Jake Sullivan. He did not disclose the specific proposals made to the US to increase pressure on Israel but mentioned that similar discussions were being held with his European counterparts.
"There are more channels to negotiate with Israel so that they can stop the war," Hussein explained. The Iraqi foreign minister expressed concern about the possibility of the conflict spreading beyond the Gaza Strip. However, he believes that the escalation of the situation has already had serious consequences on various levels.
"The conflict in Gaza has reached different levels: local, national, regional and international," the minister said.
The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated after Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israeli territory on October 7, 2023. They called the attack a response to Israeli authorities' actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of Gaza and launched retaliatory strikes on the Strip and parts of Lebanon and Syria before announcing a ground operation in the enclave. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: MohammadHuzam/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS