U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday will emphasize to Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant the importance of Israel developing a robust and realistic plan for the governance of Gaza once the war is over, the U.S. State Department said.

Speaking at a press briefing, department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the top U.S. diplomat will also discuss with Gallant, who is visiting Washington this week and meeting with senior U.S. officials, the need to avoid further escalation of the Gaza conflict and to improve humanitarian access.