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William J. Burns’s visit comes as the United States tries to prod Israel to pursue a more targeted approach to attacking Hamas, allow pauses in the fighting and do more to avoid civilian casualties.
A missile attack on an ambulance convoy has drawn severe criticism, including from the U.N., but Israel says it was transporting Hamas fighters.
The measures include using smaller bombs against Hamas, U.S. officials said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appeared to rebuff the Biden administration’s request, saying that any cease-fire would be contingent on the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
An Israeli military spokesman said that Israeli soldiers had surrounded Gaza’s largest city. White House officials said they would urge Israel to “pause” its bombardment on humanitarian grounds.
Israel’s leaders vowed to destroy Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, after the deadly Oct. 7 attack, and Israeli ground forces are closing in on the city from three directions.
Israel’s prime minister adopted a defiant tone in a rare news briefing, saying that the country would not agree to a halt in attacks because, he argued, doing so would strengthen Hamas.
The administration has become more critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks, a shift that U.S. officials attribute to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s fight against Hamas was a fight against “the enemies of civilization itself.”
Israeli officials completely underestimated the magnitude of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, shattering the country’s once invincible sense of security.