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Israel-Gaza live updates: Netanyahu says Israel 'can't be flexible' on some issues

More cease-fire talks are set to take place in Cairo this week.

Last Updated: August 18, 2024, 6:35 PM EDT

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, cease-fire discussions are occurring in the Middle East, with officials hoping to bring an end to the conflict.

The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal, with discussions set for this week.

6:35 PM EDT

Hamas says there may still be 'obstacles' to cease-fire talks

As cease-fire talks are set to begin again in Cairo this week, Hamas said it fears Israel will put up more "obstacles" that could prevent them from reaching an agreement with Israel.

In a statement Sunday, Hamas leaders accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting "more conditions and obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement, in a way that serves his strategy to gain time and prolong the aggression."

"We hold Netanyahu fully responsible for thwarting the mediators' efforts, obstructing reaching an agreement, and fully responsible for the lives of his prisoners who are exposed to the same danger that our people are exposed to, as a result of his continued aggression and systematic targeting of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip," Hamas said in the statement.

5:09 PM EDT

Bomb blast kills 1 in Tel Aviv

One person was killed in a bomb explosion in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday night, according to Israeli police.

The blast occurred around 8 p.m. local time on Lahi Street in southern Tel Aviv, police said.

It was not immediately clear who or what set off the explosive.

A second person received moderate injuries in the incident and was being treated in a hospital, police said.

The name of the person killed was not immediately released.

Police forces from the Ayalon Region and the Tel Aviv District quickly arrived at the scene and launched an investigation.

All investigative avenues are being explored, police said.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

4:26 PM EDT

Blinken arrives in Israel ahead of new round of cease-fire talks

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday evening local time ahead of cease-fire talks that are scheduled to resume in Egypt this week.

Following discussions in Doha, Qatar, last week, senior officials are due to meet again this week in Egypt. Israel has said it will send a team to Cairo to continue talks, but Hamas has dismissed any hint of progress as an "illusion."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Tel Aviv, Aug. 18, 2024.
Kevin Mohatt/AP

While in Israel, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials to press for a cease-fire agreement. Netanyahu has expressed "cautious optimism" about the talks, but said Sunday that "there are things we can't be flexible about."

-ABC News' Joe Simonetti