"We're here, we're not going anywhere:" US Secy of State Antony Blinken to Netanyahu in Tel Aviv

Assuring support, Blinken met Netanyahu in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv, and have also commenced one-on-one meetings with each other, The Times of Israel reported.

The two leaders exchanged a handshake as they met, with Blinken saying, "Good to see you. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."

"We're here, we're not going anywhere," Blinken said, according to The Times of Israel.

The two leaders are slated to meet with members of the emergency unity government, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Unity party leader Benny Gantz, and MK Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff later today.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv earlier today along with a team of officials, Israel-based i24 News English reported. His visit to Tel Aviv comes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas after the latter launched an attack on October 7.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure from the US, Blinken said, "We are heading, as you know, to Israel, and I'm going with a very simple and clear message on behalf of the President of the United States and on behalf of the American people, and that is that the United States has Israel's back. We have the back of the Israeli people. We have their back today. We'll have it tomorrow. We will have it every day."

He further said, "We're determined to make sure that Israel gets everything it needs to defend itself and provide for the security of its people. Already, significant military assistance requested by Israel is on the way. That's on top of everything that we've been doing for years, including with the memorandum of understanding that was negotiated by President Obama, to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself."

The death toll in Israel since the Hamas attack has jumped to 1,300 and some 3300 have been injured, including 28 in critical condition and 350 in serious condition, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew media reports.

The fate of an estimated 150 people abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip during the attack by Hamas is still unclear, the report said. (ANI)