'Decisive moment' for Gaza ceasefire talks, says Blinken

But a deal looks remote after Hamas’ suicide attack and Israel’s continuing air strikes

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Aug 19 called the latest diplomatic push by Washington to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza "probably the best, maybe the last opportunity", and urged all parties to get the agreement over the finish line.

But with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas saying it has resumed suicide bombing inside Israel after many years, and with Israeli air strikes still pounding Gaza, there was little sign of conciliation.

Hamas and another militant group, the Islamic Jihad, said they were behind a blast near a synagogue in Tel Aviv on Aug 19 that Israeli police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency described as a terrorist attack.

A man who was carrying the bomb was killed and a passer-by was injured in the incident.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said the man was carrying a backpack loaded with explosives that detonated "before he managed to reach a more heavily populated area".

In a joint statement, the two Palestinian militant groups said their "martyrdom operations" inside Israel would return to the forefront as long as the "occupation's massacres and assassination policy continue".

The ceasefire talks in Qatar lastweek paused without a breakthrough, but the negotiations are to resume this week based on a US "bridging proposal".

Mr Blinken met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier on Aug 19.