Two days after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, Blinken was flying Thursday from Saudi Arabia to the Qatari capital Doha.

Blinken is paying his 11th trip to the region since the war on Gaza began, after repeated disappointment as he seeks to end the devastating war.

But days ahead of US elections, President Joe Biden has found new hope after Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.

Blinken said he spoke to Israel's leaders "about the importance of determining whether Hamas is prepared to engage in moving forward, and the Egyptians, the Qataris are doing just that".

"But I believe that with Sinwar gone, because he was the primary obstacle for realising the hostage agreement, there is a real opportunity to bring them home and to accomplish the objective," Blinken told reporters Wednesday as he left Israel.

Critics at home and abroad say the issue was not just Hamas but the Biden administration failing to press Israel, which has received a near continuous flow of billions of dollars in US weapons.

Hamas has yet to choose a successor to Sinwar. Two Hamas sources told AFP this week that the group was moving towards appointing a Doha-based ruling committee rather than a single successor.

Blinken said a ceasefire plan laid out by Biden on May 31 remained on the table but also hinted at a willingness to explore "new frameworks" to seek freedom for the more than 100 captives.

Blinken is also looking for greater clarity on a plan for reconstruction and post-war governance of Gaza, seeing it as a vital component to efforts to end the war.

 This story was edited by Ahram Online.