The New York Times reported, citing an Israeli official, that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will visit Israel next week to discuss the hostage exchange deal with Hamas and the upcoming Rafah operation.

Blinken had visited Israel last March, where he warned that the military operation in Rafah would pose great risks to the civilian population, which numbers about one million people in Rafah.

The US administration insists that Israel should not launch a military operation in Rafah without presenting a clear plan to protect civilians.

This comes against the backdrop of faltering Cairo negotiations on a detainee exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, which are being mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.