U. S.  , Secretary of State , Antony Blinken , said Israeli Prime Minister , Benjamin Netanyahu , has accepted a cease-fire plan to end the conflict in , Gaza , and the next step is for” Hamas to declare yes”, as the Biden administration looked to bring an end to the 10-month fight at last.
Blinken, on his seventh trip to the place since , Hamas , attacked southern , Israel , on , Oct. 7, called the proposed authority” a crossing deal” and acknowledged that” not everything is spelled out in detail”. But it builds on a plan that President , Joe Biden , put forth in late May which both flanks had balked at.
Blinken said the , U. S.  ,” does not offer up”, but that each passing time increases the risk of harm to hostages and raises the chance that the talks will get derailed.  , Iran , and , Hezbollah , have vowed vengeance for new assassinations that they say were the labor of , Israel, and Blinken’s excursion was seen in piece as an endeavor to hinder such a hit.
The top , U. S.  , minister said he will subsequent journey on to , Egypt , and , Qatar , to know what their rulers are hearing from , Hamas , on the next steps.
Blinken emphasized the need for an “enduring cease-fire”, a word that fell between Netanyahu’s prior conviction on resuming the combat until , Hamas , is destroyed and the desire of , Hamas , for a permanent end to the war and the departure of Israeli troops from , Gaza.
In a statement, Netanyahu described his meeting with Blinken as” good and important” and voiced appreciation for what he described as , U. S.  , recognition, amid the truce efforts, of vital Israeli security needs.
Underscoring his top priority in a deal, Netanyahu said the maximum number of living hostages held by , Hamas , should go free as part of a proposed first-phase cease-fire. A hostage-taker leader was urged by dozens of demonstrators outside Blinken’s hotel in Tel Aviv to appoint him to sign a deal by chanting and holding up photos of the hostages for hours.
Earlier Monday, Blinken met separately with Israeli President , Isaac Herzog , and Defense Minister , Yoav Gallant, offering condolences for the loss of life in recent terrorist attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
Gallant “emphasized the importance of ongoing military pressure placed by , Israel , on , Hamas, alongside the need for ongoing , U. S.  , political pressure on , Hamas, until a framework is achieved that will enable the return of hostages to Israel”, the defense ministry said in a statement following their meeting.
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