TEL AVIV, Israel (AFP)— Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed unwavering US support for Israel in its war on Hamas during a visit Thursday but said the Palestinians also have “legitimate aspirations” not represented by the Islamists.

Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people in Israel and took about 150 hostages in their surprise onslaught from Gaza on Saturday. Israel has retaliated by raining air and artillery strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza for six days, claiming over 1,350 lives.

Israel has prepared for a possible ground invasion of the Palestinian territory after what has been labelled Israel’s 9/11.

“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself,” Blinken said at a joint press conference in Tel Aviv with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “But as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there by your side.”

Israeli fighter jets and drones flew above Gaza in the relentless bombardment that has levelled entire blocks and destroyed thousands of buildings, while Hamas had now fired more than 5,000 rockets at Israel from Gaza, the army said.

Jamal al-Masry said his children were wounded when an Israeli strike hit his home in Gaza City.

“When I turned to look at my family’s house, it was in ruins, filled with martyrs and people injured,” he said, adding he would “remain steadfast” despite the destruction of “entire neighbourhoods”.

US President Joe Biden has vowed unwavering support for Israel and not called for restraint against Hamas, but Blinken hinted at the need for an eventual peace settlement — an idea that has long met resistance from the right-wing Netanyahu.

“Anyone who wants peace and justice must condemn Hamas’s reign of terror,” Blinken said.

“We know Hamas doesn’t represent the Palestinian people, or their legitimate aspirations to live with equal measures of security, freedom, justice, opportunity and dignity.”

Netanyahu voiced appreciation for US support, which includes military aid, and said Hamas, which rules the blockaded Gaza Strip, should be treated like the Islamic State group.

“Just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli leader’s account on X, formerly Twitter, said he showed Blinken “photos of babies murdered and burned by the Hamas monsters”.

Israeli army spokesman Richard Hecht said the military was readying for a potential order to launch a ground invasion in the war with Hamas: “This has not been decided yet… but we are preparing for a ground manoeuvre if it is decided.

“Right now we are focused on taking out their senior leadership,” he said.

In his first public remarks since Hamas attacked Israel, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called for an “immediate end to comprehensive aggression against the Palestinian people”.

Fears have grown for Gaza’s 2.4 million people now enduring the fifth war in 15 years in the coastal enclave, which has also seen Israel cut off water, food and power supplies.

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz vowed the siege would remain in force until the hostages are freed.

“Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home,” he said.

Gaza’s hospitals “risk turning into morgues”, said the International Committee of the Red Cross Middle East chief Fabrizio Carboni, stressing “the human misery caused by this escalation is abhorrent”.

UN chief Antonio Guterres voiced concern about the “supercharged cycle of violence and horror”, and urged the release of all hostages and the lifting of the siege.

Blinken said he spoke to Netanyahu about the “humanitarian needs” of Gaza while defending the right to retaliate for Hamas attacks.