TIRANA, Feb 16, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said that he believed an agreement on a truce in the Israel-Hamas war and the release of hostages were still "possible".

Mediators are racing to secure a pause to the fighting before Israel proceeds with a full-scale ground incursion into the Gaza Strip's far-southern city of Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Palestinians are trapped.

"So we're very focused on it and I believe it's possible," Blinken said at a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, as negotiations between mediators continue in Cairo.

"We are very committed to do everything we can to move forward and see if we can reach an agreement," he added.

Roughly 130 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Blinken on Thursday arrived for his first visit to Albania, hailing what he called an "extraordinary partnership" between Washington and Tirana, showing support for his country's Balkan ally.