Blinken warns Israel-Hamas war could 'metastasize'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Sunday the war in Gaza could spread and threaten security in the wider Middle East, on a regional tour aimed at de-escalating the conflict.

"This is a moment of profound tension in the region. This is a conflict that could easily metastasize, causing even more insecurity and even more suffering," Blinken told a news conference in Doha alongside Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

Blinken warned it was "imperative" Israel put a "premium on protecting civilians", ensuring operations were "designed around protecting civilians… and around getting humanitarian assistance where people need it".

Amid the deepening humanitarian crisis and mass displacement in Gaza, Blinken said civilians "must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow". 

"They cannot, they must not be pressed to leave Gaza," he added, after two Israeli ministers suggested Palestinians should be encouraged to emigrate.