US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the only thing that can change the current tragic situation in Gaza is a ceasefire.

“With regard to Gaza, as I said, I think the most important thing that can happen to change the reality on the ground for the children, women and men who are still caught up in this conflict that Hamas started many months ago is to reach a ceasefire and return the prisoners,” Blinken said at a press conference in Jordan following his meeting with a number of Arab foreign ministers in the Jordanian port of Aqaba, in response to a question about the continuation of the brutal war on Gaza, with no end in sight, and how the catastrophic suffering of ordinary Palestinian citizens who are paying a heavy price every day can be ended.

"This is the only thing that can fundamentally change what is happening in Gaza, and that is why we are all working so hard to achieve it," Blinken added.

"This has been the focus of my efforts and the efforts of my colleagues over the past few days - Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk, Bill Burns, and others. This is what will make the biggest difference. This is the moment to finally get this deal done," the US Secretary of State said.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reported that there was progress in reaching a prisoner exchange deal in the Gaza Strip, indicating that it was close to being achieved.

Sullivan added in statements to Channel 13 that the priority is to return the Israeli detainees and reach a ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that he cannot confirm whether this will happen or not in the next few weeks, but he confirmed his determination to achieve this.

“For Hamas, as I’ve said before, no one is coming to their rescue; they’re not going to get the broader war that they’ve long sought — whether it’s with Hezbollah attacking Israel, or Iran, or the many groups that are affiliated with Iran, that’s not going to happen,” Blinken said, suggesting that Hamas must realize that the balance of power has shifted not in its favor.

“I think one of the reasons they have re-engaged in a more positive way over the last two weeks reflects that,” he added. “Israel, as I said, has long ago achieved its basic military objectives necessary to help ensure that the events of October 7th are not repeated,” he said, emphasizing the need to “dismantle the Hamas military organization and deal with the leaders responsible for the events of October 7th. So this is the moment to put an end to these events, to put an end to them in a way that brings the hostages home and ultimately alleviates the suffering of the people who have suffered and continue to suffer every day.”

On the humanitarian aid to Gaza that Israel is blocking from entering the stricken Gaza Strip, Blinken said: “We continue to redouble our efforts to get aid to those in need. While there is much more to be done, in recent days we have seen again a significant increase in the number of trucks carrying aid to hundreds of trucks. We have sent a UN mission to northern Gaza, which is very important so that we can get a look at what is happening there. So as we try to get a ceasefire agreement done, we continue to push and push for more aid to get to those in need.”