Blinken meets with hostage families and Netanyahu in Israel

WAS IN ISRAEL TODAY AND SPOKE WITH OUR ANDREA MITCHELL. [ CROWD CHANTING ] >> Reporter: TODAY SECRETARY OF STATE TONY BLINKEN TRYING TO REASSURE DISTRAUGHT FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES STILL HELD BY HAMAS WHO WERE PROTESTING OUTSIDE HIS HOTEL. >> PLEASE BE STRONG, KEEP THE FAITH. WE WILL BE WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL WE GET THIS DONE. >> Reporter: BLINKEN THEN MEETING FOR 2 1/2 HOURS WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WHO IS VOWING AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST HAMAS IN RAFAH WHERE MORE THAN A MILLION PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS ARE ALSO TAKING REFUGE. WITH OR WITHOUT A DEAL THE HOSTAGE TALKS AT A CRITICAL STAGE. >> IF THEY GO INTO RAFAH, THERE'S NO CHANCE FOR A HOSTAGE DEAL OR A CEASE-FIRE. >> WELL, LOOK, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE HOSTAGE DEAL. I BELIEVE THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS AS WELL, AND THAT'S I THINK EVIDENT FROM THE FACT THAT THE PROPOSAL, THE MOST RECENT PROPOSAL THEY PUT ON THE TABLE SHOWS THAT THEY'RE WILK TO MAKE BIG COMPROMISES IN ORDER TO GET A DEAL. >> Reporter: BLINKEN BLAMING HAMAS FOR NOT TAKING WHAT HE CALLS AN EXTREMELY GENEROUS CEASE-FIRE OFFER BUT SAYING THE U.S. IS OPPOSED TO AN ISRAELI OPERATION IN RAFAH WITHOUT A PLAN TO PROTECT GAZANS. A FUNERAL TODAY FOR TWO CHILDREN KILLED IN AN ISRAELI RAID. >> WE'VE NOT SEEN SUCH A PLAN, AND THERE ARE ALSO BETTER WAYS TO DO WHAT ISRAEL NEEDS TO DO IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH THE REMAINING HAMAS PROBLEM. >> Reporter: U.S. OFFICIALS BELIEVE NETANYAHU IS THREATENING TO GO INTO RAFAH TO KEEP HIS ULTRA CONSERVATIVE COALITION TOGETHER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS ENORMOUS

Channel: NBC News

Views: 3,598

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: wNbxhvTY-XI

Length: 1min 44sec (104 seconds)

Published: Thu May 02 2024