A Palestinian youth walks past piles of smoldering waste, as garbage collection at the al-Maghazi Palestinian refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
The Israeli military has committed several deadly massacres in recent days including on a refugee camp and multiple UN-run schools where civilians were sheltering.
Reports surfaced that, in response to these deadly massacres, Hamas said it was pulling out of ceasefire negotiations. Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, refuted that Hamas was pulling out of ceasefire talks.
Blinken received two influential Israeli officials -- Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi -- "to express our serious concern about the recent civilian casualties in Gaza."
Casualties "still remain unacceptably high. We continue to see far too many civilians killed in this conflict," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
On Saturday, Israeli strikes killed more than 90 people in the Al-Mawasi camp near Khan Yunis, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said.
AFP reported sirens wailing and women screaming as children were pulled bloody and unmoving from the wreckage in Al-Mawasi, which Israel had declared a "safe zone".
The Israeli military said the bombardment targeted two people -- the head of Hamas's military wing, Mohammed Deif, and his close associate Rafa Salama who the army said was killed.
A Hamas official said Sunday that Deif was "well and directly overseeing" operations.
The bilateral discussions focused on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian aid for Gaza, and post-war plans, he said.
The visit comes several few days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to address the US Congress on July 24.
"We continue to hear from Israel directly that they want to reach a ceasefire and that they're committed to the proposal that they put forward," Miller said.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continuously raises demands in an apparent effort to sabotage the ceasefire proposal, Hamas has given up a key demand by not insisting on a "complete" ceasefire anymore clearing the way for the possible ceasefire.
The United States has strongly defended Israel since the start of Israel's war on Gaza.
Israel's military offensive has killed at least 38,584 people, mostly women and children.
US President Joe Biden has been under mounting political pressure over the plight of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
"We are incredibly troubled by the ongoing deaths of Palestinians in Gaza," Miller said Monday, when asked about US weapons provided to Israel.
Short link: