U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Israel on Wednesday that progress on improving humanitarian access to Gaza is real but, given the immense need in the Palestinian enclave, it needs to be accelerated.
Blinken, who earlier met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told reporters that Israel has made important compromises over a proposal for a deal that would see hostages released in exchange for a ceasefire, but it was up to Hamas to take that deal.
"There are other ways -- and in our judgement, better ways -- of dealing with the real ongoing challenge of Hamas that does not require a major military operation" in Rafah, Blinken told reporters after talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.
