By Paul Adams in Jerusalem, Anthony Zucher in Tel Aviv & Graeme Baker BBC News
Israel has rebuffed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s call for a “humanitarian pause” in Gaza.
Mr Blinken said he had discussed the idea with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials during their talks in Tel Aviv.
But in a TV statement minutes later, Mr Netanyahu said Israel rejected “a temporary ceasefire that does not include the release of our hostages”.
He said that Israel was “continuing with all our force” against Hamas.
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Honestly, it’s hard to imagine that the aid we give to the Middle East wouldn’t be better spent in the Caribbean and in Central America.