U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Tel Aviv for first visit on October 16th   (File Photo)

Tel Aviv, November 3 (RHC)-- Israel announced that its ground troops on Friday have surrounded Gaza City as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv for his second trip since Israel started the war against Gaza.

Ahead of the arrival of Washington's top diplomat, Israel's military said it had "completed the encirclement" of Gaza's largest city.  

In comments to reporters upon his arrival in Israel, Blinken once again reiterated Washington's unconditional support for the occupying regime, saying Israel will "never stand alone."  And he added that Israel "has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself..." without referring to the genocidal bombardment of civilians -- mainly women and children.

In Israel's so-called "self defense" are scores of Palestinians sheltering at a United Nations-run school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, where at least 27 were killed in an Israeli strike on Thursday.  One survivor said:  “Nowhere is safe.  They even hit the school.  They said, 'Flee to the schools.'  They then targeted the schools.  This is genocide and nothing short of a catastrophe.”