Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu rejects Hamas cease-fire counteroffer, claims Gaza victory 'within reach'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference Wednesday that  "surrendering" to Hamas' "delusional" counteroffer listing its terms for a cease-fire in Gaza would not lead to freeing hostages but would "just invite another massacre." 

Earlier Wednesday, the militant group had responded to a cease-fire proposal first put forward by Israel and mediators Egypt and Qatar. Included in its conditions was a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Netanyahu said that Israel's military operation in Gaza would continue until Hamas was "eliminated."

"We are on the way to an absolute victory," Netanyahu said, adding that the operation would last months, not years. "There is no other solution."

His statements come as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel trying to help broker a cease-fire of some kind. 

Blinken had originally been scheduled to address the media on Wednesday evening, around the time that Netanyahu made his televised announcement, but that appointment is currently more than an hour behind schedule.

Blinken: Hamas counteroffer 'creates space for an agreement'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has given his delayed press conference in Tel Aviv during his visit to Israel. 

He said that, while there were "some clear non-starters" in a Hamas response to a cease-fire proposal initially put forward by Israel and mediators, it, nevertheless, "creates space" to come to an agreement acceptable to both sides.

He was speaking soon after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had labeled some of Hamas' terms for a pause in fighting "delusional."

"While there are some clear non-starters in Hamas' response, we do think it creates space for an agreement to be reached, and we will work at that relentlessly," Blinken said, later adding during questions from reporters that he presumed Netanyahu's comments referred more to the "non-starters" than to other parts of the proposal.

Blinken praised Israel for taking various steps aimed at limiting civilian suffering, saying: "As a result, today, more assistance is moving into Gaza from more places than at any time since October 7." 

"And yet, as I said to the prime minister and other Israeli officials, the daily toll that this military operation is taking on innocent civilians remains too high," he said. 

He also said he was aware that, in Hamas, Israel was facing "an enemy that would never hold itself to such standards," and said this was one of the reasons the US had been so supportive of Israel. The United States and Israel, along with Germany and several other countries, designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. 

Blinken said that during his trip, he had discussed with various stakeholders "both the substance and the sequence" of a path towards a so-called two-state solution and what steps all involved would need to take to progress on the long-stalled proposal.