US reaches out to Arab leaders on Israel and Gaza fighting

US secretary of state Antony Blinken (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

US secretary of state Antony Blinken and his envoy have reached out to Palestinian and regional Arab leaders as attacks between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers raged on.

Mr Blinken is maintaining what the administration of US President Joe Biden is calling its quiet diplomacy while still declining to press for an immediate ceasefire.