The Israeli national security minister said he had met with senior Republican Party officials at [US President Donald] Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate] in Florida, in the United States, in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday.
Ben-Gvir posted on X in Hebrew, “They expressed support for my very clear position on how to act in Gaza and for the bombing of the food and aid depots to impose military and political pressure on them to bring our hostages home safely.”
According to his public schedule, the US president was not present.
Which Republicans were present, according to Ben-Gvir’s post. Ben-Gvir’s office confirmed to Israeli media that Tom Emmer, a Republican representative who is regarded as the third-highest-ranking member of the US House of Representatives, was one of the lawmakers present.
Ben-Gvir’s office was mentioned in reports about Emmer’s presence, which also appeared to be confirmed by video of the event, by The Times of Israel and the Jewish News Syndicate.
The congressman has frequently claimed that Hamas, and not Israel, is to blame for the high rate of civilian deaths in the Palestinian enclave, and has been one of the most influential members of the US Congress supporting Israel in the wake of the conflict in Gaza.
Concerning the Mar-a-Lago visit and whether the congressman supported Ben-Gvir’s position on attacking food and aid sites, an Emmer spokesman declined to respond to an Al Jazeera request for comment.
Since the start of the conflict, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 51,300 Palestinians have died as a result of the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 and at least 1,139 of those have died.
Israeli attacks and aid are still being carried out.
Ben-Gvir has been one of Israel’s most vocal advocates for an escalation of Israel’s assault on Gaza.
He has firmly supported Trump’s plan to forcibly relocate residents of the Palestinian enclave and has advocated for the resettlement of Gaza.
In opposition to a temporary ceasefire, he initially resigned from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet in January.
Before resuming his position with the government in March, he demanded that Israel stop providing water and electricity to Gazans and bomb aid depots as the six-week-long fighting drew to a close.
1, 928 Palestinians have been killed since March 18 when Israeli airstrikes resumed.
A lasting ceasefire agreement has remained elusive despite Trump’s pledge to end the conflict when he took office.
Meanwhile, Israel’s continued blocking of Gaza’s access to food, medicine, and resources was condemned by France, Germany, and the UK on Wednesday.
Source: Aljazeera
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