U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on a possible Israeli action in Rafah, amid waiting for Hamas' response regarding a hostage deal and ceasefire, expressing again the U.S. opposition to the move. Blinken stated that Israel had not presented any plan to protect civilians during a potential attack there, adding that "in the absence of such a plan, we cannot support a major military operation in Rafah, as the damage it would cause would be beyond acceptable." Regarding the potential deal, the Secretary of State mentioned that "the reality at the moment is that Hamas remains the only obstacle between the residents of Gaza and a ceasefire, and we are waiting to see if the organization can indeed agree to a ceasefire and the release of the hostages." (AFP)