The Biden administration insisted that diplomacy was the only way to prevent escalation in the growing Middle East crisis after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. In an interview from Singapore, Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that the United States was neither involved nor forewarned about the attack, reportedly by Israel. Blinken said that Washington would work to ensure that the “conflict that emerged in Gaza doesn’t spread, it doesn’t go to other places, doesn’t escalate.”
Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin scrambled in telephone calls with Arab and Israeli leaders to contain the cycle of violence. The following are excerpted statements from U.S. officials as well as other world reaction.
United States
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 31, 2024: “First, this is something we were not aware of or involved in. It’s very hard to speculate, and I’ve learned over many years never to speculate on the impact one event may have on something else. So I can’t tell you what this means. I can tell you that the imperative of getting a ceasefire, the importance that that has for everyone, remains. And we will continue to labor at that for as long as it takes to get there.”
“From day one, since October 7th, the horrific attack on Israel and on its men, women, and children, one of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to make sure that the conflict that emerged in Gaza doesn’t spread, it doesn’t go to other places, doesn’t escalate. And we’re going to continue to do that as well. Now, again, the best way to bring the temperature down everywhere, put us on a better path, is through a ceasefire in Gaza. That will have, I think, important effects on other areas where you could see conflict – whether it’s in the north of Israel and Lebanon, whether it’s Iran, whether it’s in the Red Sea with the Houthis. So that’s why that – the focus on the ceasefire needs to remain, and for us, it will very much remain.”
Readout of Blinken’s call with Qatar’s prime minister on July 31, 2024: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The Secretary and the Prime Minister discussed ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Secretary emphasized the importance of continuing to work to reach a ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, and unlock the possibility of broader stability. He reiterated that the United States would continue to work to ensure an agreement is reached. The Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Qatar’s critical role in working for lasting regional peace.”
Readout of Blinken’s call with Jordan’s deputy prime minister on July 31, 2024: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi to discuss ongoing tensions and developments in the Middle East. The Secretary discussed the urgency of efforts to reach a ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages, allow a surge of humanitarian assistance, and create the conditions for broader stability. He reiterated the importance of preventing further escalation of the conflict. Secretary Blinken also thanked Jordan for its leadership in providing life-saving humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on July 31, 2024: "I don't think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there's always a room and opportunities for diplomacy, and I'd like to see the parties pursue those opportunities. And certainly, what we've seen along the border, over the border with Israel over time, that's you know, that's been a concern of ours. Again, we're going to do everything we can to make sure that we keep things from turning into a broader conflict throughout the region. So I remain in touch with Mr. Gallant, my counterpart, as well as with the key leaders throughout the region."
"If Israel is attacked, we certainly will help. And you saw us do that in April. You can expect to see us do that again. But we don't want to see any of that happen. We're going to work hard to make sure that, you know, we're doing things to help take temperature down and address issues through diplomatic means.
Readout of Secretary Austin’s call with Israel’s defense minister: “Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant about Israel's response to Lebanese Hizballah's July 27 attack on Israel, which killed twelve innocent civilians, mostly children. They discussed the threats to Israel posed by a range of Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hizballah. Secretary Austin reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to Israel's security and right to self-defense. They also discussed ongoing efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution that enables citizens on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border to safely return to their homes.
National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby on July 31, 2024: "We don’t believe that an escalation is inevitable. And there’s no signs that an escalation is imminent. But I also said that we watch it very, very closely. I also said, just — and — and said again today that this is something that we’ve been concerned about since the 7th of October. It’s not like we’re brushing off concerns at all. We’re watching this very, very closely."
Qatar
Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on July 31, 2024: “Political assassinations & continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?”
Lebanon
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on July 31, 2024: “We strongly condemn the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas. We see this act as a serious threat that could expand the scope of global concern and danger in the region.”
Syria
Foreign Ministry on July 31, 2024: “Syria condemns this blatant Zionist aggression and this serious violation of Iran's sovereignty, which constitutes a violation of international law. It considers that the continued disregard of international laws by the Israeli entity, its failure to comply with the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, and the calls of most countries of the world to stop its massacres, may lead to the ignition of the entire region.”
Iraq
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 31, 2024: Haniyeh’s killing was a “flagrant violation of international law and a threat to security and stability in the region.”
Egypt
Foreign Ministry on July 31, 2024: “The coincidence of this regional escalation with the lack of progress in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza increases the complexity of the situation and indicates the absence of Israeli political will to calm it down.”
“It undercuts the strenuous efforts made by Egypt and its partners to stop the war in the Gaza Strip and put an end to the human suffering of the Palestinian people.”
Turkey
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 31, 2024: Haniyeh’s killing “Once again demonstrates that Israel’s Netanyahu government has no intention of achieving peace.”
“[The] region will face much larger conflicts if [the] international community does not take action to stop Israel.”
United Arab Emirates
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 31, 2024: “The UAE is closely following rapidly-evolving regional developments and expresses its deep concern over the continued escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability.
“Furthermore, the UAE stresses the importance of exercising utmost self-restraint and judgment to mitigate risks and prevent expanding the scale of conflict.
“The UAE believes that enhancing dialogue, adhering to international law, and respecting the sovereignty of countries are essential foundations for resolving the current crises.
“In this regard, the UAE emphasizes the necessity of resolving disputes through diplomatic means, rather than confrontation and escalation.”
Germany
Foreign Office spokesperson on July 31, 2024: “We call on all actors to exercise maximum restraint. The logic of mutual retaliatory strikes is a mistake."
European Union
European Commission Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Peter Stano on July 31, 2024: “We call on all parties to exert maximum restraint and avoid any further escalation.”
“No country and no nation stand to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East.”
Russia
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on July 31: “This is an absolutely unacceptable political murder, and it will lead to further escalation of tensions.”
United Nations
Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on July 31, 2024: “The Secretary-General believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Tehran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza” and “the release of all Israeli hostages.”
Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 31, 2024: “Citizens of Israel, challenging days lie ahead. Since the strike in Beirut there are threats sounding from all directions. We are prepared for any scenario and we will stand united and determined against any threat. Israel will exact a heavy price for any aggression against us from any arena.”
Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu on July 31, 2024: “This is the right way to clean the world of this filth. No more imaginary peace/surrender agreements. No more mercy.”
“The iron hand that will strike them is the one that will bring peace and a little comfort and strengthen our ability to live in peace with those who desire peace. Haniyeh’s death makes the world a little better.”