US Secretary of State Blinken to travel again to Israel for talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel at the end of the week as differences between Washington and Benjamin Netanyahu's government over the Gaza war intensify.

Israel has worked its way through the north and central parts of the Gaza Strip, hunting down Islamist terrorists from Hamas but killing what Hamas-controlled health officials say are more than 31,000 civilians.

Netanyahu had said his army will also now go into Rafah near the border with Egypt, where Israel believes there are terrorists responsible for the October 7 massacre which killed around 1,200 people inside the Jewish state and took some 240 hostages.

However, the US thinks this will result in massive bloodshed amid reports over 1 million people are there after fleeing from Israel's assault on other areas of the strip.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to consider alternatives to a ground offensive in Rafah, the Department of Defence in Washington said in a statement.

Austin also reportedly reiterated the urgent need to do more to protect the civilian population, to ensure the safety of US military personnel establishing a temporary port on the Gaza coast and to expand the transport of aid to the Gaza Strip by land.

Gallant is expected in Washington next week and a separate Israeli delegation is to travel to the US capital to talk to US officials about their concerns regarding the planned ground offensive in Rafah

Netanyahu made it clear on Wednesday that the preparations for such an offensive would still take some time. However, he remains adamant in his plans to assault the city where more than a million refugees have taken shelter.

In view of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the civilian casualties, Washington's tone towards the Israeli leadership has become harsher in recent weeks.

At the same time, the US sees itself as Israel's protecting power. Every year, the US supports Israel with billions of dollars, a considerable portion of which goes towards missile defence and other military technology.

A US State Department official said on Wednesday that during Blinken's visit to Israel on Friday he would discuss the ongoing negotiations to secure the release of hostages with Israel's leaders.

"He's going to discuss the need to defeat Hamas, including in Rafah in a way that we believe will hopefully protect civilian populations and does not hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and advances Israel's overall security.".

Blinken was in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah for talks on Wednesday, after which he planned to travel on to the Egyptian capital Cairo.

During the visit, Blinken told a Saudi television station he believed an agreement in the negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of further hostages was possible.

"It's getting closer. I think the gaps are narrowing, and I think an agreement is very much possible," Blinken said in the interview.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Hamas and Israel for weeks. The aim is a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages. Blinken emphasized that an agreement would depend on the consent of Hamas.

"A very strong proposal was put on the table," Blinken said, "and we have to see if Hamas can say yes to the proposal."