Blinken tells Israel 'now is the time' to end Gaza war

TEL AVIV - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Oct 23 urged Israel to use the opportunity to end the war in Gaza created by the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the destruction of much of the group's capacity during more than a year of conflict.

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Mr. Blinken said Israel had achieved many of its goals, including largely destroying Hamas as a military force and eliminating most of its leadership, including Yahya Sinwar, and should be looking to bring home the remaining Gaza hostages and end the fighting.

"Now is the time to turn those successes into an enduring strategic success," he told reporters as he prepared to leave for Saudi Arabia on the next stage of his visit to the Middle East. "The focus needs to be on getting the hostages home, ending this war, and having a clear plan for what follows."