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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Palestinian leaders on Tuesday for his final stop on a Middle East tour aimed at curbing the worst outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence in years.

After a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Blinken urged both sides to take "urgent steps" to calm tensions and said Washington would work to "restore a sense of security" craved by "Israelis and Palestinians alike".

Blinken's visit comes amid an ongoing wave of violence following the new far-right Israeli government’s entry to power, which has seen Israeli forces kill at least 35 Palestinians in 2023 alone.

Over the same period seven Israeli settlers, including a child, have been killed.Ìý

Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians during a deadly massacre in the West Bank's Jenin on Thursday and proceeded to bomb the besieged Gaza Strip on Friday morning, causing the destruction of several properties. No injuries were reported.

In response to the Jenin attack, a Palestinian gunman on Friday killed seven people in an illegal settler neighbourhood in occupied east Jerusalem, and another attack followed on Saturday.

After landing in Israel on Monday, Blinken criticised the attack, saying: "We condemn all those who celebrate... acts of terrorism, that take innocent lives."

He also appeared to chastise Israelis blamed for dozens of incidents of reprisal violence following Friday's shooting in an east Jerusalem settler neighbourhood.

"Retaliatory acts of violence against civilians are never justified," he said.

- 'Unwavering support' -

Blinken met with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who last week announced that his Palestinian Authority was cutting security coordination with Israel after the deadly West Bank raid.

Blinken is expected to urge the PA to continue working with Israel to stem militant attacks.

Before heading to the West Bank on Tuesday, Blinken met new Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who took office as part of the right-wing Netanyahu government elected last year.

Gallant praised Blinken for his "unwavering support" in helping safeguard Israel's military superiority in the region.

Hamas said Blinken's visit "emphasises the absolute support and partnership with the (Israeli) occupation".

Netanyahu's cabinet has moved to punish "the families of terrorists that support terrorism" with home demolitions and other measures.

His government is also planning to rescind the rights to social security benefits of attackers' relatives, and steps to make it easier for Israeli citizens to obtain permits to carry firearms.

- 'Close the file' -

Blinken had made an initial stop in Egypt, where he met President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, commending "Egypt's important role in promoting stability in the region."

The diplomats and intelligence services of Egypt -- a major recipient of US military aid -- are regularly called upon to intercede between Israelis and Palestinians.

Blinken's Israel visit is part of the Biden administration's efforts to engage quickly with Netanyahu, who had tense relations with the previous Democratic president Barack Obama.

He also reiterated US support for a Palestinian state, a prospect few expect to advance under the new Israeli government.

Netanyahu, a veteran leader, returned to power late last year at the helm of the most right-wing government in Israeli history.

During Netanyahu's previous tenure, Israel established ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, under deals brokered by then president Donald Trump.

Netanyahu said Monday that expanding those deals and "working to close, finally, the file of the Arab-Israeli conflict, I think would also help us achieve a workable solution with our Palestinian neighbours".