A ceasefire in the Middle East has never been more urgent, the foreign minister says, as US officials described negotiations as entering a "decisive moment".
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has held talks with her US counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken during AUSMIN - the meeting between Australian and American foreign and defence ministers - in Annapolis, Maryland.
Senator Wong said the discussions were taking place "in the shadow of a deteriorating situation in the Middle East", reiterating calls for a peace deal in the region.