US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the protection of civilians in both the Gaza Strip and Israel as the Israeli military prepared for a ground assault. Blinken met with his Saudi Arabian counterpart and stressed the importance of minimizing harm to civilians. He also warned against the conflict spreading to other regions and urged an end to the violence. Saudi Arabia has called for an urgent meeting of foreign ministers from Muslim countries to address the situation.
Source: Blinken calls for protection of civilians as Israel prepares for expected assault on Gaza
