According to Blinken, he and Israel will talk about "concrete steps" to reduce harm to civilians

During his upcoming visit to Tel Aviv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss steps Israel "can and should" take to minimize civilian casualties.

"We will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimize harm to men, women, and children in Gaza, and this is something that the United States is committed to," Blinken told reporters on Thursday.

While the secretary provided no additional information, he did state that the topic is on the agenda for the visit. According to the State Department, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli government leaders.

Blinken departs on Thursday for a trip to Israel, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, and India. On the tarmac, he reiterated that the US is "determined to deter any escalation."

Blinken also stated that there must be a focus on what comes next.