US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Israel this weekend to push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as the United States tries to bridge gaps in talks hosted by Qatar, the State Department said.

The US State Department said in a statement that Blinken will leave the United States on Saturday in an effort to "conclude an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees through the proposal" that the United States presented on Friday during the Doha talks.

Earlier Friday, President Joe Biden said "we are closer than ever" to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, where Israel's war on Gaza has been ongoing for 10 months.

Biden had called for the talks in Doha. The White House said earlier that diplomats would continue to work out the details in hopes of concluding the deal later next week in Cairo.

National Security Council spokesman Sean Savitt said Biden spoke by phone to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss "important progress" made in the talks.

Biden, the Egyptian president and the emir of Qatar have called on Hamas and Israel to join the talks.

The US State Department statement said, "This proposal would achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages, ensure the distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, and create conditions for broader regional stability."

"Secretary Blinken will stress the need to... avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to complete the agreement," he added.

This will be Blinken's ninth trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

The State Department did not immediately announce another stop for Blinken after Israel.