Antony Blinken meets Netanyahu with focus on war hostages, protection of Gaza civilians

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and urged more effort to protect civilians in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The top US diplomat is on his third visit to Israel since militant group Hamas attacked the country on October 7. He crisscrossed the region last month on a shuttle diplomacy mission aimed at preventing a widening of the conflict. Before departing Washington on Thursday, Blinken said that, while Israel has a right to defend itself, the US is focused on delivering humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and bringing US citizens out of the territory.