Blinken and other top Biden administration aides are also calling for Hamas to agree to a deal to free some hostages taken in the Oct.7 attacks in exchange for a six-week ceasefire and the release of some Palestinian prisoners. US officials say they hope a temporary ceasefire would lead to a permanent one. On Tuesday, Netanyahu said that he plans a major assault on Rafah “with or without” a deal.
The ceasefire talks have been stalled for months, and Israeli officials said Monday that they had agreed to lower their demands. They are now asking Hamas to free 33 civilians – women, older people and those who need urgent medical care – rather than 40.
The proposed deal was one of the issues that Blinken discussed with President Isaac Herzog of Israel on Wednesday at a hotel in Tel Aviv.
Before the meeting with Herzog started, Blinken told the president and reporters that discussions must focus on both a ceasefire that “brings the hostages home” and on getting more aid into Gaza. “There is a proposal on the table, and as we’ve said, no delays, no excuses,” Blinken said. Herzog said that the hostages’ release should be a priority for the international community. After his talk with Herzog, Blinken met with a few family members of American hostages held in Gaza and then got into a motorcade to head to Jerusalem, where he entered a private meeting with Netanyahu. Blinken and other US officials say Hamas has a narrow window to take the deal since Netanyahu is pressing for the offensive in Rafah. When asked about Netanyahu’s statements on Rafah, Blinken said that US efforts were focused on a hostage and ceasefire deal.
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