US Secretary of State in Israel to push for a cease-fire in Gaza, says 'the time is now'

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00:00 Outside his hotel, a warm welcome awaits Antony Blinken.

00:05 Among the group of demonstrators, relatives of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.

00:09 The Secretary of State knows that their expectations are high.

00:15 Bringing your loved ones home is at the heart of everything we're trying to do.

00:20 And we will not rest until everyone, men, women, soldiers, civilians, young, old, is

00:30 back home.

00:31 To achieve that, Blinken is counting on a new truce proposal between Israel and Hamas.

00:37 Negotiated over the last days in Cairo, it's aiming in a first phase for an exchange of

00:42 Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and a 40-day ceasefire in Gaza.

00:47 A cessation of hostilities desperately awaited by the population of Gaza.

00:52 Although more aid has been flowing into the enclave in recent weeks, more is needed to

00:56 avert a looming famine, according to the UN.

01:00 Hamas has yet to give its response to this truce and Blinken's patience is running low.

01:05 Reiterating his position during his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

01:09 "I'm determined to get a ceasefire that brings the hostages home and to get it now.

01:15 And the only reason that that wouldn't be achieved is because of Hamas.

01:19 There is a proposal on the table and as we've said, no delays, no excuses."

01:26 Another objective for Blinken, to urge the Israeli Prime Minister to abandon a ground

01:31 offensive in Rafa, where up to one and a half million Palestinians are crowded, mostly displaced

01:36 by the war.

01:37 An offensive that would be an unmitigated tragedy, according to the UN Secretary General,

01:43 which Benjamin Netanyahu says he's determined to carry out.

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