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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is connected a three-day, three-country travel of nan Middle East. On Wednesday, nan last time of nan trip, Blinken was successful Israel to speak pinch high-ranking officials astir nan Biden administration's push to unafraid a cease-fire to nan Israel-Hamas war. Photo courtesy of State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller/X
May 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken successful Israel connected Wednesday said nan Biden management is wished to unafraid a cease-fire successful Gaza that includes nan merchandise of Israeli hostages.
The United States' apical diplomat was successful nan Middle Eastern state to meet pinch high-ranking officials, including President Isaac Herzog, arsenic portion of a three-country travel that began Tuesday arsenic portion of nan Biden administration's push to unafraid a cease-fire statement to nan Israel-Hamas war.
Speaking to reporters successful Tel Aviv earlier his gathering pinch Herzog, Blinken said nan clip to unafraid a woody is now, and only Hamas stands arsenic an obstacle successful getting it done.
"We are wished to get a ceasefire that brings nan hostages location and to get it now, and nan only logic that that wouldn't beryllium achieved is because of Hamas," he said.
"There is simply a connection connected nan table, and arsenic we've said, nary delays, nary excuses. The clip is now, and nan clip is now agelong past owed to bring nan hostages location to their families."
The push comes arsenic nan business nan Palestinian enclave of Gaza further deteriorates and expectations that Israel will soon motorboat a arguable crushed penetration aliases Rafah metropolis wherever immoderate 1.5 cardinal Palestinians are estimated to beryllium sheltering amid nan war.
Israel has agelong been expected to invaded Rafah arsenic it hunts nan remaining leaders of Hamas, but nan United States, nan United Nations and others person warned against nan campaign, pinch Martin Griffiths, nan U.N.'s apical humanitarian assistance coordinator stating arsenic precocious arsenic Tuesday that "a crushed cognition successful Rafah will beryllium thing short of a calamity beyond words."
Blinken dismissed questions a time anterior astir nan imaginable penetration of Rafah by saying their position connected nan run is good known and his attraction connected nan travel is to unafraid a cease-fire and nan merchandise of hostages.
After nan gathering pinch Herzog, Blinken said to protesters demonstrating outside, stating bringing nan hostages location is astatine nan halfway of each action nan United States takes.
"There is simply a very beardown connection connected nan array correct now. Hamas needs to opportunity yes and needs to get this done. That is our determination, and we will not rest, we will not extremity until you're reunited pinch your loved ones. So please support strong, support nan faith. We will beryllium pinch you each azygous time until we get this done," he said.
Some 130 of nan 253 Israelis abducted by Hamas connected Oct. 7 are believed to still beryllium successful nan captivity of nan Iran-backed militants. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has said they person nary prime but to unafraid triumph successful nan war, which he has described arsenic nan demolition of Hamas successful Gaza and nan merchandise of each Israeli hostages, among different objectives.
On Tuesday, Blinken was successful Amman and earlier that Saudi Arabia arsenic portion of nan cease-fire push.
According nan Hams-run Palestinian Ministry of Health, much than 34,500 Palestinians person been killed successful nan war, which began Oct. 7.
