US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Friday in Tel Aviv on a trip focused on measures to "minimize harm to civilians in the war in Gaza."

Prior to his departure, Blinken said he would seek "concrete steps" from the Israeli Occupation to ensure that harm to Palestinian civilians is reduced, as US President Joe Biden also called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict.

This is Blinken's second trip to the Middle East since October 7.