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(Epoch Times) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised Sunday that “Rafah will be open” after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
“Rafah will be open,” he said. “We’re putting in place with the UN, with Egypt, Israel, with others, the mechanism by which to get the assistance in and to get it to people who need it.”
Mr. Blinken also announced President Joe Biden’s appointment of David Satterfield, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, to help coordinate aid efforts. Mr. Blinken said Mr. Satterfield will be in Israel on Monday to begin coordinating.
“He will be here on the ground tomorrow to work out all the practical details so we can move this forward,” Mr. Blinken said of Mr. Satterfield.
Israeli Fighter Jets Strike Hezbollah Military Infrastructure in Lebanon, IDF Says
Fighter jets have struck Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon, Israel Defense Forces said in an update Sunday.
Earlier, the IDF said it was responding to fire coming from Lebanon.
“At the same time, a report was received regarding a shooting toward IDF soldiers along the border of Lebanon,” it said, adding IDF soldiers in the area were “responding with live fire.”
Biden Says US Can Support Both Israel and Ukraine: ‘We Have the Capacity to Do This and We Have an Obligation’
President Joe Biden said the United States can provide support to Israel and Ukraine while still maintaining “our overall international defense” in an interview excerpt aired Sunday morning.
“We have the capacity to do this and we have an obligation to, we are the essential nation,” President Biden said on CBS News, paraphrasing a famous quote from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
“We’re the United States of America for God’s sake, the most powerful nation in the history—not in the world, in the history of the world. The history of the world. We can take care of both of these and still maintain our overall international defense,” President Biden said, when asked if the United States could take on both wars at the same time. “And if we don’t, who does?” the president noted.
FBI Director Warns of Rise in Reported Domestic Threats Linked to Israel–Hamas War
FBI Director Chris Wray on Saturday warned of an increase in domestic threats linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
“In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats, and we have to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own,” Mr. Wray said during remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference in San Diego. “And I’d encourage you to stay vigilant, because as the first line of defense in protecting our communities, you’re often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence. And I’d also ask you to continue sharing any intelligence or observations you may have.”
The warning came a day after police in New York, Los Angeles, and other U.S. cities increased patrols, authorities put up fencing around the U.S. Capitol and some schools closed Friday amid fears of violence inspired by the Israel–Hamas war.
A former Hamas leader’s call for a “day of rage” put American Jewish communities on edge, and sparked heightened security around houses of worship, schools, and cultural institutions.
Law enforcement officials said they were on high alert for violence driven by antisemitic or Islamophobic sentiments in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel. Jewish and Muslim groups have reported an increase in hateful and threatening rhetoric on social media.
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Israelis in the Southern City of Sderot Near Gaza Board Buses to Escape Hamas’s Rockets
Residents of the southern Israeli city of Sderot boarded buses for other parts of the country on Sunday to escape the rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israel on a rampage that killed more than 1,300 people more than a week ago have also bombarded the country with thousands of rockets. Sderot, a city of about 34,000 people located about a mile from the Gaza border, has been a frequent target.
One of the residents, Yossi Edri, told Channel 13 before boarding a bus that “children are traumatized, they can’t sleep at night.”
Thousands already left the city last week under a state-sponsored program that puts them up in hotels elsewhere as a respite from the violence. The program in Sderot was expanded Sunday.
“There is no reason to return to Sderot,” Mayor Alon Davidi told Army Radio. “It’s on the front line.”
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Germany Warns Against All Travel to Israel, Palestinian Territories, and Lebanon
The German government has issued a travel warning for Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Lebanon. Sunday’s warning is a big step up from previous longstanding partial travel warnings for the Gaza Strip and some areas of Lebanon.
The German foreign office said in a statement that “due to the escalation of violence in the region in connection with the massive terrorist attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, we are warning against traveling to the countries and areas mentioned.”
The government also called on all German citizens affected by the warning to register on its crisis precaution list where it provides information on departure options.
In recent days, the German government has helped with the evacuation of more than 2,800 German citizens and their family members from Israel. On Saturday evening, the German army started using military airplanes for evacuations.
More than 100,000 residents of Israel hold dual German and Israeli citizenship.
