Palestinian, US officials discuss efforts to stop Israeli war in northern Gaza

RAMALLAH, Palestine

A senior official of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and a US official on Friday discussed efforts to stop the ongoing Israeli war in northern Gaza.

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary of the Executive Committee of the PLO, met US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf in the central West Bank, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The officials emphasized the urgent need to end the war in Gaza, and Israeli recent crimes and massacres in the region.

The US, however, still provides Israel with military supplies despite international calls to halt weapon shipments to Israel.

Washington has provided $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel since last October, according to a report prepared by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University.

Al-Sheikh reiterated Palestinian firm rejection of any Israeli forcible displacement attempt on Palestinians.

Both sides also touched on the reopening of border crossings to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

More than 1,200 people have been killed in northern Gaza since the offensive began on Oct. 5, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense Service.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 43,200 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 101,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar