US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Ankara, Turkey as part of his packed visit to the Middle East - and has just met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for talks behind closed doors.

His visit to Turkey comes amid growing anti-US sentiment in the country, as police on Sunday had to stop a group of pro-Palestinian protesters reportedly trying to enter an air base where US forces are stationed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called it his country's "duty" to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and save Palestinians from Israel's "oppression".

Relations between Israel and Turkey have worsened since the start of the war, as both countries ordered the return of their diplomats. Erdogan said he had "written off" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a counterpart, but added that Turkey did not want to cut ties with Israel.

The US's top diplomat has already visited Israel - his first stop in the region - as he requested a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip to ease humanitarian aid. Blinken also held meetings with leaders and ministers in the occupied West Bank, Jordan and Iraq.