The Latest | In Israel, Blinken pushes Hamas to agree on Gaza cease-fire deal WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Wednesday to press for a cease-fire deal in the Israel-Hamas war, saying ” the time is now ” and warning that Hamas would bear the blame for any failure to reach an agreement to halt the war in Gaza.

On his seventh visit since the latest war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, 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 U.S. 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.

On Oct. 7, Palestinian militants launched an unprecedented …