Mr Blinken (R) was greeted by his Israeli counterpart in Tel Aviv
BBC: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Israel in a show of support after the weekend's deadly attacks by Hamas.
Mr Blinken is expected to seek the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas, some of whom are American.
He will also urge restraint and seek safe passage for Gaza's civilians ahead of a possible Israeli ground offensive.
At least 1,200 Israelis died in the attack, and over 1,100 Palestinians have died in airstrikes on Gaza.
Some 22 US citizens are also known to have died in Israel.
Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US, took up to 150 people hostage when its fighters breached the border fence in several places in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and launched the most serious cross-border attack Israel has faced in a generation.
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