Antony Blinken is in Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli leaders amid US efforts to prevent the war in Gaza from spreading.

The US Secretary of State arrived late on Monday after two days of talks with Arab leaders on ending the war.

Mr Blinken said he would press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “on the absolute imperative to do more to protect civilians” and to ensure humanitarian aid was reaching those in need.

His visit came after Israel killed a top commander of Hamas’ ally Hezbollah in south Lebanon on Monday, raising fears of a wider regional conflagration as the IDF signalled it would scale down its offensive in northern Gaza.

According to Axios, Israeli officials will tell Mr Blinken that Israel won’t allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza if Hamas does not agree to release more hostages.

Mr Blinken has called on Israel not to pressure Palestinians into leaving Gaza and to allow those displaced by the war to return to their homes in the enclave as soon as “conditions allow”.

Israel says Hamas still holds more than 100 hostages seized on October 7.

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