US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss a proposed ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Blinken arrived in Israel on Wednesday as part of his Middle East tour. He is discussing with Netanyahu the latest ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, as well as Hamas's response to it.

The deal proposes a pause in fighting in exchange for hostages.

Hamas said on Tuesday that it had delivered its response to the deal. The Islamic group demanded a complete ceasefire, the reconstruction of Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Health authorities in Gaza say the death toll has reached 27,585 after four months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. More than 130 hostages are reportedly being held in the enclave.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Blinken said, "There's still a lot of work to do, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible, and indeed essential."

Israel is vowing to destroy Hamas. It intends to continue its ground operation in the southern city of Rafah. Attention is on how Israel will respond to Hamas's demand.