US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Israel had already agreed on the “schedule and location” of troop withdrawals from Gaza, AFP reports.

Since the conflict began, it was made “very clear that the United States does not accept any long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel”, Blinken said when asked about remarks by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blinken acknowledged differences and called for “maximum flexibility” from both Israel and Hamas.

Hamas said it was “keen to reach a ceasefire” but protested “new conditions” from Israel in the latest US proposal.

Egypt, the first Arab nation to make peace with Israel, has been infuriated by Israel’s takeover of the Philadelphi Corridor.