US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Talks with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were also planned. On Tuesday morning, Blinken is scheduled to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Blinken said earlier Monday in Egypt, where he met President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, that only the Palestinian Islamist Hamas group had not agreed to the ceasefire plan presented by US President Joe Biden.
"So the only party that has not accepted, the only party that’s not said yes is Hamas. That’s who everyone is waiting on," Blinken said. "But it’s clear that virtually the entire world has come together in support of the proposal, and the only open question is will Hamas say yes."
Blinken urged Middle Eastern governments to pressure Hamas to accept Biden's proposal to end the war in Gaza.
Representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad reiterated at a meeting in Qatar on Monday that any agreement would have to include a complete end to the war, a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction of the coastal strip and an end to the blockade.
Biden had presented a draft for a three-phase deal to end the fighting in Gaza, which Israel has already agreed to, according to the US.
"First, let me be very clear: Israel has accepted the proposal. In fact, they were critical in putting it forward," Blinken said in remarks to the press in Cairo.
However, the Israeli government has not yet given its clear and public approval to the plan.
Last week, the Israeli prime minister said that Israel's conditions for an end to the war had not changed. These included the total destruction of Hamas and the release of all the hostages.
Reaching a ceasefire deal also "opens the path to more durable security, calm, peace in Gaza and for that it is critical that we continue to work on plans for the day after," Blinken added.
Qatar, the United States and Egypt have been mediating for months to achieve a ceasefire and exchange hostages kept by the militant group for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Blinken's efforts received a boost later Monday when the UN Security Council in New York adopted a resolution supporting Biden's plan.
Fourteen member states voted in favour of the draft, while Russia, one of the veto powers, abstained.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said afterwards that the UN's most powerful body had voted for peace.
Blinken arrived in Cairo on Monday on the first leg of his current Middle East tour.
Egypt's presidency said in a statement that the two reviewed joint efforts to reach a ceasefire and exchange hostages, and have agreed to intensify efforts during the current stage.
Al-Sissi stressed the importance of concerted international efforts to remove obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, ending the war and preventing the expansion of the conflict, the statement added.
Blinken's tour is expected to last until Wednesday and also include stops in Jordan and Qatar.