'They Are Like ISIS': Netanyahu, Blinken Unite Against Hamas As IMF Monitors Oil Market Impact

In a press conference following their one-on-one meeting in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a resolute message about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

As reported by the Times of Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu compared Hamas to ISIS, condemning their heinous acts of violence. “Hamas should be treated exactly as ISIS was treated,” he said. President Joe Biden‘s characterization of the situation as “sheer evil” was echoed in Netanyahu’s words.

Blinken, expressing gratitude for being in Israel during this challenging period, assured unwavering U.S. support. He emphasized that as long as America exists, Israel will never have to defend itself alone.

The national emergency government’s creation was welcomed, with the U.S. already sending the first shipments of military support to Israel.

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I met with @IsraeliPM Netanyahu in Israel today to reiterate ironclad U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas' terrorist attacks. pic.twitter.com/hhuqRS3UrA

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 12, 2023

Gaza Under Siege As IDF Strikes Hamas

Overnight, Israeli Air Force jets launched strikes on more than 70 targets in the Gaza Strip, dealing a crippling blow to Hamas.

IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that these attacks aim to disrupt Hamas’s sovereignty over Gaza.

Meanwhile, Syrian media outlets have reported Israeli airstrikes targeting both Aleppo International Airport and Damascus International Airport.

Global Economic Worries Intensify

As the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on, International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva expressed deep concern about its impact on the global economy.

She referred to it as a new cloud on an already uncertain economic horizon, according to a Reuters report Thursday. The IMF closely monitors the situation and its effects, especially on oil markets, as the world braces for economic turbulence.

The Israeli shekel traded at 3.9582 against the dollar at the time of this writing, down 0.3% for the day, on track for its fourth consecutive session of losses.

The TA-125, Israel’s major stock market index, was 0.2% on Thursday. On Wednesday, the iShares MSCI Israeli ETF EIS fell 1.5%.

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