US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has revealed that the latest attack by Hamas on Israel may have been driven in part by an attempt to disrupt the potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He also mentioned that the United States is planning to announce new aid for Israel. The recent violence between Israel and Hamas has led to significant casualties on both sides and raised concerns about the potential for a major conflict in the Middle East.
Blinken stated in an interview "It wouldn't be a surprise that part of the motivation may have been to disrupt efforts to bring Saudi Arabia and Israel together, along with other countries that may be interested in normalizing relations with Israel."
He also acknowledged reports of several Americans killed or missing in Israel and mentioned that the United States is working to verify these details.
Regarding the new aid for Israel, Blinken indicated that specific details would be made public later. He characterized the attack on Israel as a "terrorist attack by a terrorist organization" and noted that the United States is considering additional requests from the Israeli government.
While there has been relative calm in most of Israel on Sunday, intense fighting continues in Gaza, which has been under blockade by Israel and has seen weeks of protests by youth groups due to longstanding grievances related to the Palestinian national cause and economic challenges.
Blinken also mentioned that there is no concrete evidence at this time linking Iran to the recent attack in Israel. However, he acknowledged the historical ties between Iran and Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza.
The attack launched by Hamas on Saturday is described as the most significant and deadliest incursion into Israel since Egypt and Syria's sudden assault 50 years ago during the Yom Kippur War in an attempt to reclaim lost territory.
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