US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and urged further actions to substantially increase humanitarian aid in Gaza, Reuters reports, citing a State Department statement.

Blinken “urged further actions to substantially increase and sustain humanitarian aid — including food, medicine, and other essential supplies — to civilians across all of Gaza”, the State Department said after the call.

“The Secretary emphasised the importance of ending the war in Gaza and bringing all of the hostages home, as well as charting a path forward in the post-conflict period that allows the Palestinian population in Gaza to rebuild their lives and advances governance, security, and reconstruction,” the State Department said.

The US government had said in an October 13 letter Israel had 30 days to take specific steps to address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been pummeled for more than a year by Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian enclave.