U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris called on Tuesday for an end to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and said that Israel must not reoccupy the Palestinian enclave once the nearly year-old conflict comes to an end.

Speaking in Philadelphia to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), she called for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants, a two-state solution and Middle East stability in a way that does not empower Iran.

"We've made ourselves very clear this deal needs to get done in the best interest of everyone in the region," Harris, the U.S. vice president, said in response to questions asked by three journalists.