How to loop through json file?

You could use jq:

Input file:

{
  "items" : [
    {
      "name" : "first-block-e70a2fe8fd0531ad1f87de49f03537a6",
      "type" : "STORE",
      "hostRef" : {
        "hostId" : "166219e3-be5c-46d0-b4c7-33543a29ce32"
      },
      "roleState" : "STARTED",
      "healthSummary" : "GOOD"

    },
    {
      "name" : "second-block-c21a1ae8dd2831cd1b87de49f98274e8",
      "type" : "STORE",
      "hostRef" : {
        "hostId" : "176429e3-be5c-46d0-b4c7-33543a29ad63"
      },
      "roleState" : "STARTED",
      "healthSummary" : "GOOD"
    },

    {
      "name" : "first-block-a85d2fe6fd0482ad1f54de49f45174a0",
      "type" : "STORE",
      "hostRef" : {
        "hostId" : "176429e3-ae1d-46d0-b4c7-66123a24fa82"
      },
      "roleState" : "STARTED",
      "healthSummary" : "GOOD"
    }
  ]
}

command:

Edit: with @Runium's contribution

$ jq '.items[] | select( .name | startswith("first-block-"))|.hostRef.hostId' < file.json 
"e70a2fe8fd0531ad1f87de49f03537a6"
"a85d2fe6fd0482ad1f54de49f45174a0"

A very simple sample using python:

#!/usr/bin/env python

import sys
import json

def print_first(data):
    for item in data["items"]:
        if item["name"].startswith("first"):
            print item["hostRef"]["hostId"]

def main(argv):
    for json_file in argv:
        with open(json_file) as data_file:
            data = json.load(data_file)
            print_first(data)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main(sys.argv[1:])

That is with your sample data re-formatted as:

{
    "items" : [
        {
            "name" : "first-block-e70a2fe8fd0531ad1f87de49f03537a6",
            "type" : "STORE",
            "hostRef" : {
                "hostId" : "166219e3-be5c-46d0-b4c7-33543a29ce32"
            },
            "roleState" : "STARTED",
            "healthSummary" : "GOOD"

        },
        {
            "name" : "second-block-c21a1ae8dd2831cd1b87de49f98274e8",
            "type" : "STORE",
            "hostRef" : {
                "hostId" : "176429e3-be5c-46d0-b4c7-33543a29ad63"
            },
            "roleState" : "STARTED",
            "healthSummary" : "GOOD"
        },
        {
            "name" : "first-block-a85d2fe6fd0482ad1f54de49f45174a0",
            "type" : "STORE",
            "hostRef" : {
                "hostId" : "176429e3-ae1d-46d0-b4c7-66123a24fa82"
            },
            "roleState" : "STARTED",
            "healthSummary" : "GOOD"
        }
    ]
}