Blinken, set to arrive in Israel, warns war ‘could metastasize' into regional conflict

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the war in Gaza “could easily metastasize” into a broader regional conflict while speaking to Arab leaders before he arrived in Israel late on Monday.

Blinken’s comment came as he spoke to reporters in Qatar's capital Doha, alongside Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. 

“This is a moment of profound tension in the region,” Blinken said on Sunday evening in Doha. “This is a conflict that could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and even more suffering.” 

Al Thani called for an immediate, broad ceasefire – a position echoed by many Arab leaders. 

Qatar, which does not have official relations with Israel, maintains friendly relations with Hamas, even providing accommodations for several of their exiled leaders. 

Blinken, who was questioned repeatedly by Arab and Western journalists about Palestinian casualties, reiterated Washington's position that “Israel must do more” to prevent civilian casualties. 

“It is absolutely imperative that more be done, that Israel do more to protect civilians, and with others, to enable more humanitarian assistance to get where it’s needed,” Blinken said. “That will be one focus of my conversations when I get to Israel.” 

Blinken added that Palestinians in Gaza must be allowed “to return home,” rejecting calls by some Israeli ministers to relocate the Palestinian population. 

“Palestinian civilians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow. They cannot, they must not, be pressed to leave Gaza,” Blinken stressed. 

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have said Israel should encourage voluntary emigration by Gazans to other countries. Their statements were immediately criticized by the United States.

Israel has not yet produced an official government position stating what the future of Gaza will look like “the day after” the war is over, as Israeli media calls it. 

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused calls for a ceasefire. 

“The war must not be stopped until we achieve all the goals: The elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” the prime minister said in his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. “I say this to both our enemies and our friends.” 

The Hamas-owned Ministry of Health in Gaza claims that 22,835 Palestinians have been killed, and 58,316 wounded in the war since it began on Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists and operatives invaded southern Israeli border communities towns in a brutal attack that left at least 1,200 dead and 240 hostages abducted into Gaza. 

Gaza's Health Ministry does not distinguish between Hamas fighters and civilians. It also does not differentiate between deaths caused by Hamas and PIJ, whether attacks or misfired rocket launches. 

The IDF claims it has killed at least 8,300 terrorists since the conflict began on Oct. 7.