Blinken's Unannounced Trips Seek Humanitarian Pause in West Bank and Iraq
Secretary of State Tony Blinken made unannounced trips to Iraq and the West Bank to negotiate a humanitarian pause in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of anti-Israel protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., demanding a ceasefire but refusing to denounce Hamas. Pope Francis condemned antisemitism and called for a ceasefire, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib accused President Biden of complicity in the deaths of children in the Middle East. Actor Jon Voight expressed disappointment in his daughter Angelina Jolie's support for a ceasefire. The United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire, but Israel has refused, vowing to continue until Hamas is destroyed. The US deployed a nuclear-powered submarine to the Middle East as a show of deterrence, and the Israeli military eliminated more senior Hamas commanders.