The United States announced on Tuesday its opposition to the construction of a permanent Israeli military base in Gaza, following a report published by The New York Times indicating that the Israeli army is accelerating the construction of military facilities in the Palestinian territory.
Based on satellite images, the New York newspaper noted that it had observed accelerated construction of this base in central Gaza, along with the demolition of more than 600 buildings in the area, suggesting that the Israeli army plans to have a long-term presence in the territory.
Commenting on this report, Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, stated that the United States could not confirm this information but noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has opposed any permanent Israeli presence in Gaza since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas over a year ago.
Patel said during a press conference that if the New York Times' information is "correct, then it would certainly contradict several principles outlined by Secretary Blinken.
He added, "There can be no reduction of land in Gaza. Moreover, there can be no forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes.