Blinken tells Arab leaders 'no more business as usual' with Hamas

U.S. top diplomat Antony Blinken is telling Middle Eastern leaders there can be "no more business as usual" with Palestinian militant group Hamas, he said on Friday as he tours Arab states in the aftermath of Saturday's attacks in southern Israel. Secretary of State Blinken, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Thursday, declined to say whether he approved Israel's move to call for all civilians in the northern half of the Gaza strip to relocate to the south as a ground invasion appears imminent. Blinken embarked on a seven-country tour of the region in hopes of preventing the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants from spiraling into a bigger war and to help secure the release of Israeli and American hostages held by Hamas.

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