UPDATE - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken oversees 1st Jordanian aid convoy to Gaza via Erez crossing

UPDATES DECK, ADDS DETAIL

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken oversaw the departure of the first Jordanian truck convoy on Tuesday that is carrying aid to the Gaza Strip through the recently reopened Erez crossing by Israel.

"Right here in Jordan, we're seeing a direct route from Jordan to northern Gaza through Erez. The first shipments are departing today," Blinken told reporters.

Blinken emphasized that "more still needs to be done" to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while acknowledging the significance of the development.

Blinken urged Hamas to accept a proposal deal for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages resistance group prepared a response to an Israeli offer.

“Now it is on the Palestinian group. No more delays, no more excuses. The time to act is now,'' he said in Amman, without mentioning the Israeli government in the process.

He emphasized how crucial it is to reach a deal in the next few days to lessen the suffering of residents in the enclave.

“We want to see in the coming days this agreement coming together,” he said.

Blinken avoided making direct remarks in response to questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's threats of a ground invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah.

The US top diplomat arrived Tuesday in Israel on the second leg of a regional tour for talks to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.

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

A previous deal in 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 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.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul​​​​​​​