UPDATE - Blinken says US 'determined' to reach cease-fire between Israel, Hamas

ADDS MORE COMMENTS BY BLINKEN AND HERZOG

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said that the US administration is "determined" to achieve a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Hamas group.

Blinken made the statement during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog as he started talks with Israeli leaders.

"Even in these very difficult times we are determined to get a cease-fire that brings the hostages home – and to get it now," Blinken said, according to Israeli media, including the Times of Israel.

However, he went on to blame Palestinian group Hamas if a cease-fire deal is not reached, saying: "And the only reason that that wouldn’t be achieved is because of Hamas.”

He added that there is a deal proposal on the table, adding: "No delays, no excuses ... the time is now."

Herzog thanked Blinken for his support to Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.

"I think there should be a unanimous decision of the international community that freeing the hostages is the utmost priority." Herzog said.

The top US diplomat arrived Tuesday in Israel as his third stop, after Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as part of a regional tour for talks to bring a cease-fire in Gaza.

Hamas, which is believed to be holding nearly 130 Israeli hostages, is demanding an end to Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza in return for any hostage deal with Tel Aviv.

A deal last November saw the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.

Israel has waged an unrelenting offensive on the Palestinian enclave since a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7 which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and thousands injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel is also accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.