US criticizes Israel on Gaza civilian toll as UN to hear ceasefire demand

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in his strongest public criticism of Israel's conduct of the war on Hamas in south Gaza, said there was a gap between the government's declared intentions to protect civilians and the casualties. "As we stand here almost a week into this campaign into the south … it remains imperative that Israel put a premium on civilian protection," Blinken said at a press conference following a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington on Thursday. "And there does remain a gap between … the intent to protect civilians and the actual results that we're seeing on the ground," Blinken said.