US President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Israel on Wednesday local time as the Israeli military prepares to escalate its offensive against Hamas militants.
Joe Biden's visit will mark a significant show of US support for its top Middle East ally.
Israel continues to tighten its blockade of Gaza, including by restricting the entry of fuel, and bombarding the area with air strikes that have killed thousands of Palestinians and displaced hundreds of thousands more.
Correspondent Ross Cullen spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
