Blinken pushes 'clear position on Rafah' during meeting with Netanyahu
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem for 2 1/2 hours to discuss numerous topics about the ongoing conflict, according to the State Department.
Blinken discussed "the need to avoid further expansion of the conflict," and "reiterated the United States’ clear position on Rafah," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
"The secretary discussed ongoing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal and emphasized that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire," Miller added.
Blinken also discussed improving aid delivery into Gaza and "reiterated the importance of accelerating and sustaining that improvement," according to Miller.
Prior to meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken spoke with the families of hostages that had gathered outside his hotel in Tel Aviv.
-ABC News' Joseph Simonetti