Blinken Urges Hamas for Gaza Cease-Fire During Israel Visit

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel to push for a cease-fire deal in the Israel-Hamas war, warning that Hamas would be blamed for any failure to reach an agreement. Blinken is trying to advance a truce that would free hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a halt to the fighting and delivery of much-needed food, medicine, and water into Gaza. Palestinian prisoners are also expected to be released as part of the deal. The US has pressured Israel to increase aid deliveries during the war, and on Tuesday, Israel reopened a border crossing with hard-hit northern Gaza Strip for the first time since it was damaged at the start of the war.Hamas leaders say they are studying a cease-fire proposal put forward by Egyptian mediators and hope to respond by Thursday. The current round of truce talks between Israel and Hamas appears to be serious, but the sides remain far apart on one key issue – whether the war should end as part of an emerging deal. Hamas leadership said they are working on a response to the proposal that results in an end to Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip, deliveries of much-needed humanitarian aid, and a start to rebuilding the devastated territory, as well as freeing hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel has made "very important" compromises in cease-fire efforts, and it is now up to Hamas to get the deal done. Blinken made the announcement after a day of talks with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Israel has made very important compromises," he said. "Hamas has to decide whether it will take the deal and actually advance the situation for the people that it purports to care about in Gaza." "There's no time for further haggling. The deal is there," Blinken said.Israel has reopened a border crossing to allow increased humanitarian aid into the hard-hit northern Gaza Strip for the first time since it was damaged on Oct. 7, bowing to intense US pressure to increase aid deliveries. The Erez crossing, which connects directly to northern Gaza, was reopened for the first time on Wednesday during a visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.A small group of Palestinians demonstrated in central Gaza in solidarity with pro-Palestinian protests taking place across university campuses in the United States. At a camp for displaced people in the city of Deir al-Balah, signs read: "Thanks for your solidarity! THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY." Other posters thanked several other American universities where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place, including Harvard, MIT, Northwestern and George Washington universities.An Israeli court has released the sister of Hamas top leader to house arrest after she was indicted for incitement and identification with a terror group. The sister of Hamas supreme leader Ismail Haniyeh, Sabah Haniyeh, 57, was born in Gaza but has Israeli citizenship and lives in southern Israel. She was arrested in early April and indicted on April 21.Turkey says it will join South Africa's case against Israel at ICJ. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says his country has decided to formally join the legal case alleging genocide filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice.A leaked proposal detailing an emerging cease-fire agreement would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in exchange for a planned release of hostages. The proposal sheds light on the thorny details being hammered out in a bid to secure the deal.