U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel and Hamas are close to reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Blinken added in a statement to Al Arabiya Al Hadath channel: "Hamas does not care about the humanitarian situation in Gaza; otherwise, it would have made concessions in the negotiations, and we are still pressuring Israel to open the land crossings."

He explained that Washington proposed alternatives to Israel's military operation in Rafah and that these are being discussed with the Israeli side, indicating that his current tour will focus on governance in Gaza after the war.

Blinken said: "We will discuss alternatives to the Rafah operation with the Israelis in Washington next week, and we have a vision for lasting peace in the region that we will discuss with the Quartet."

He pointed out that work on the maritime bridge to Gaza will start in two weeks.

Blinken arrived in the city of Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia at the start of a regional tour that will take him to Egypt and Israel, during which he will discuss developments in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, via its account on the "X" platform, stated that Blinken "will discuss with Saudi leaders the latest developments in Gaza and the situation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden," without mentioning further details.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that Blinken will meet with the Saudi leadership on Wednesday, then continue to Cairo to meet the Egyptian leadership on Thursday.

It added that Blinken's regional tour will also include a visit to Israel, which he will reach on Friday.

The U.S. State Department indicated that Blinken will discuss, during the tour, efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement in Gaza that ensures the release of all Israeli prisoners.

It continued that Blinken will also discuss intensifying international efforts to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, alongside coordinating planning for the post-conflict phase in Gaza, including ensuring that Hamas cannot govern or repeat the attacks of October 7, 2023.