CNN —Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel Friday to press the Israeli government on its ongoing offensive in Gaza amid growing international condemnation and a steadily mounting civilian death toll. Blinken touched down in Tel Aviv on Friday morning, accompanied by newly confirmed US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew. The continued flow of that humanitarian aid and ongoing departure of civilians will be another key focus of his conversations in Israel, Blinken said Thursday. Israeli officials have also limited the entrance of fuel into Gaza, arguing that Hamas has stolen large quantities and withheld it from civilians. The top US diplomat has said repeatedly that there cannot be a return to the “status quo” with Hamas, and Israeli officials have said they intend to eliminate the group from Gaza.

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Persons: Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken, Israel Jack Lew, ” Blinken, Privately, you’re, ” –, ”, “ That’s, it’s, Matt Miller, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, West Bank . State, West Bank Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Washington, DC, –, Mosul, Aleppo, Fallujah, “, Jordan, Bahrain, Rafah, Egypt