Ahead of visit to Israel, US's Blinken presses Hamas to accept new proposal for Gaza cease-fire

CAIRO (AP) — The United States stepped up pressure Monday for a cease-fire deal in Gaza as the secretary of state said a new proposal had been put to Hamas, whose officials were in Cairo talking to Egyptian mediators. Israeli airstrikes killed 26 people in Gaza’s southernmost town of Rafah, according to hospital records.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ahead of a visit to Israel this week, urged Hamas to accept the latest proposal, calling it “extraordinarily generous” on Israel's part.

The terms were not made public. But according to an Egyptian official and Israeli media, Israel has softened its position, lowering the number of hostages it demands that Hamas free during the initial six-week phase of the cease-fire in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinians from Israeli prisons.

One question is whether that will be enough to overcome Hamas concerns over the cease-fire's second phase.

Hamas has demanded assurances that an eventual release of all hostages will bring a complete end to Israel’s nearly seven-month assault in Gaza and a withdrawal of its troops from the devastated territory. Israel has offered only an extended pause, vowing to resume its offensive once it is over. The issue has repeatedly obstructed efforts by U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators during months of talks.

Some Israeli commentators depicted Israel as at a crossroads: Go for a deal with a potential end to the war, bringing benefits that could include normalization of ties with Saudi Arabia, or push ahead with plans including an attack on Rafah in the hope of crushing Hamas and risk international isolation.

Israel's closest ally, the United States, and others have repeatedly warned against an offensive on Rafah, saying it would bring a surge in casualties and worsen a humanitarian catastrophe. More than 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere.

Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people.

Overnight and Monday morning, Israeli strikes flattened at least three homes where extended families of Palestinians were gathered. The dead included nine women and six children, one them just five days old, according to hospital records and an Associated Press reporter.

“Everyone was sleeping in their beds," said Mahmoud Abu Taha, whose cousin was killed with his wife and their year-old baby in a house where at least 10 died. “They have nothing to do with anything.”

Egypt has stepped up mediation efforts for a cease-fire deal in hopes of averting an assault on Rafah, on Gaza's border with Egypt.

An Egyptian official said Israel has lowered the number of hostages it wants freed in the first stage, down from earlier demands for 40. He did not specify the new number. Israeli media said it now seeks the release of 33 hostages in return for the release of some 900 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is believed to hold around 100 Israelis in Gaza.

Israel has also shown flexibility on allowing residents to return to northern Gaza, the Egyptian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal talks.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Israeli officials.

Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected stopping the war in return for hostage releases and says an offensive on Rafah is crucial to destroying the militants after their Oct. 7 attacks on Israel that triggered the fighting. His government could be threatened if he agrees to a deal, since hardline Cabinet members demand an attack on Rafah.

At the same time, Netanyahu faces pressure to reach a deal from families of hostages.

On Monday, the families of two hostages — Keith Siegel and Omri Miran — urged both sides to reach an agreement, days after Hamas released a video showing the men.

“I appeal to Sinwar, please approve this deal. And to the members of the (Israeli) Cabinet, please approve any deal,” said Omri’s father, Dany Miran, referring to Yehiya Sinwar, the top Hamas official in Gaza. He spoke at a news conference in a Tel Aviv square where supporters of hostage families regularly hold rallies.

Israeli officials, meanwhile, appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the country’s leaders.

It was not clear what sparked the concerns. The ICC launched a probe three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The probe is also looking at Israel’s construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent.

But Israel’s Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of “rumors” that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials. Netanyahu said Friday that Israel “will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.”

Neither Israel nor the United States accept the ICC’s jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israel’s actions at a time when pro-Palestinian protests have spread across U.S. college campuses.

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

In the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, militants stormed through army bases and farming communities across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages. Israel's air, sea and ground offensive in Gaza has killed at least 34,488 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight from dense, residential areas. The military says it has killed over 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

Associated Press writers Michael Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington; and Matthew Lee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A demonstrator holds up a flare during a protest calling for the release of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

People gather next to a sign displayed on the street that reads in Hebrew "Rafah can wait, they cannot", in reference of a possible Israeli offensive on the Rafah, city in southern Gaza Strip, and calling for the release of the Israeli hostages held by the Hamas militant group, during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A demonstrator holds up a flare during a protest calling for the release of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Mourners carry the bodies of members of the Abu Taha family who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Al-Salam cemetery, east of Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Mourners pray over the bodies of members of the Abu Taha family who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Al-Salam cemetery, east of Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Mourners carry the bodies of members of the Abu Taha family who were killed in an Israeli airstrike, during their funeral at Al-Salam cemetery, east of Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

SEATTLE (AP) — Ty France homered for the second time in three games, Bryan Woo allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings for his first win and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday.

The Mariners took two of three from the Royals and have won eight of their last nine series. Seattle will head out on a key 10-game road trip on the East Coast four games above .500 and leading the AL West.

France hit a solo shot off Kansas City starter Alec Marsh in the fourth inning to give Seattle a 2-0 lead. France also homered on Monday in the series opener.

Seattle also got an unearned run in the second inning after Adam Frazier was unable to cleanly field Luis Urías’ grounder behind third base with the bases loaded, and the Mariners added on two key runs late. Josh Rojas had a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning and Luke Raley added an RBI single in the eighth.

“The add-on runs today were huge. Guys just kept grinding through knowing that we have to have good at-bats," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "We got some big hits.”

While Woo was terrific, Andrés Muñoz came through late, getting the final five outs for his seventh save. He also pitched around an error by Urías in the ninth. It was his second five-out save of the season.

Muñoz said his approach has changed a bit since the start of the season.

“I was a little more cautious about throw the pitch here, throw the pitch here," Muñoz said. "What I changed was just throw the ball the hardest that I can right in the middle. Obviously I don't want to hit the middle, but that is my mentality right now.”

Woo (1-0) cruised through the first five innings allowing only one hit, before running into a jam in the sixth inning. Woo had a long fifth inning in the dugout due to an umpire change between the top and bottom of the inning, as home plate umpire Jim Wolf was replaced for precautionary reasons after taking a foul ball off the facemask.

When Woo returned for the sixth, he wasn’t as sharp and immediately ran into trouble with two singles and a walk. Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a sacrifice fly to score Freddy Fermin, but reliever Gabe Speier ended the threat by getting a foul pop out from Vinny Pasquantino and struck out Salvador Perez to end the inning.

Woo struck out five and walked only one. His first start of the season last Friday had been cut short due to tightness in his right forearm following a long inning in the dugout.

“You have to learn. I think today we did a really good job adjusting from obviously the last start and came up with some good ideas of how to stay hot between innings,” Woo said.

Witt also had an RBI groundout in the eighth that scored Fermin.

“You got to try to capitalize. You know they’re going to be generally low-scoring games when you play these guys,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They have a good pitching staff and we put ourselves in a couple spots to do some good things.”

Marsh (3-1) allowed just one earned run but took his first loss of the season. He struck out seven and has allowed just two earned runs in his past four starts combined.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: 2B Jorge Polanco (hamstring) and DH Mitch Garver (back) were out of the lineup for a second straight day. Both could return Friday in Baltimore.

UP NEXT

Both teams are off on Thursday. The Royals return home to open a three-game series with Oakland on Friday, while Seattle starts a 10-game road trip in Baltimore on Friday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, left, celebrates with first base coach Kristopher Negron after hitting a single against the Kansas City Royals during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh (48) meets with third baseman Adam Frazier (26), pitching coach Brian Sweeney (85) and catcher Freddy Fermin during the second inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley (20) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Seattle Mariners' Ty France, center, holds a trident in the dugout after his solo home run during against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Seattle Mariners' Ty France runs the bases on a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)