Blinken urges Israel not to repeat 'massive civilian loss' in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Israeli army that the "massive loss of civilian live and displacement" in northern besieged Gaza must not be repeated in the south.

"We discussed the details of Israel’s ongoing planning, and I underscored the imperative, for the United States, that the massive loss of civilian life and displacement of the scale that we saw in northern Gaza not be repeated in the south," Blinken said during a press briefing on Thursday after he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blinken said Israel had agreed to a US request that it formulate a strategy that "puts a premium on protecting civilians."

He added that the Israeli army should steer clear of targeting vital infrastructure such as hospitals, power stations and water facilities.

He said that displaced civilians from southern Gaza should also be offered "the choice to return to the north as soon as conditions permit."

Blinken also called for a further extension of the truce, which included swaps and aid deliveries into the besieged Gaza.

"Clearly, we want to see this process continue to move forward," he told reporters in Tel Aviv at the end of a visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank.

"We want an eighth day and beyond," he said.

The pause, due to expire early Friday unless an agreement to extend it is reached, has allowed the release of scores of Israeli and foreign captives.

Blinken was on his third trip to the region since violence erupted on October 7.

Truce 'producing results'

Earlier, Blinken told Israeli leaders the truce was "producing results" and should continue.

"We have seen over the last week the very positive development of hostages coming home, being reunited with their families," Blinken said in his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

"It's also enabled an increase in humanitarian assistance to go to innocent civilians in Gaza who need it desperately.

"So, this process is producing results. It's important, and we hope that it can continue."

In a statement released by his office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had raised with Blinken a deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem on Thursday that was later claimed by Hamas, saying "nothing will stop us" from destroying the group.

"We will continue this war until we achieve the three goals: freeing all of our hostages, completely eliminating Hamas and ensuring that no threat like this will ever come from Gaza again," Netanyahu said.

After the meeting, Blinken travelled by armoured convoy to the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with President Mahmud Abbas.

The two "spoke about the urgent need for measures to improve security and freedom for Palestinians in the West Bank", State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken reiterated "that the United States remains committed to advancing tangible steps for a Palestinian state", the statement said.

According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry, nearly 240 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7.