Following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden released a statement for the first time expressing support for a truce between Israel and Gaza's militant rulers, Hamas.
The US president, however, stopped short of calling for an end to the eight days of Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rocket barrages that have killed over 200 civilians, the overwhelming majority of whom are Palestinians.
The White House statement after the phone call said, "The president reiterated his strong support for Israel's right to protect itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks."
“He urged Israel to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of innocent civilians. The two leaders spoke about how far Israel's military operations in Gaza against Hamas and other terrorist organizations have progressed. The president shared his support for a truce and spoke about how the US is working with Egypt and other allies to achieve it.”
According to Israeli media citing military sources, Israeli forces decided to extend their military operations for another day or two before withdrawing. Late Monday, Netanyahu told Israeli security officials that Israel will "continue to strike terror targets" in Gaza "for as long as possible" to restore "calm and security" to all Israeli people.
Meanwhile, the US has blocked the adoption of a joint UN Security Council statement calling for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the third time in a week. The US is now focused on "quiet, intense diplomacy," according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki and national security advisor Jake Sullivan.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday in Denmark that the US was willing to assist if Israel and Hamas expressed interest in resolving the conflict – but that the US was not pressuring them to do so.
“Ultimately, it is up to the parties to make clear that they want to seek a ceasefire,” Blinken said, before adding that “we all have responsibilities” in such a large world.
The new outbreak started last month in East Jerusalem, when Israeli police cracked down on Palestinian public gatherings during Ramadan, despite Jewish settlers' threats to expel Palestinian families. Tensions erupted last week after hundreds of Palestinians were injured by Israeli police during demonstrations, and policemen in riot gear raided al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site.
Hamas then started shooting rockets at Jerusalem, prompting Israel's attack on Gaza. Since the start of hostilities last week, the Palestinian death toll has risen to 212, including 61 children and 36 women, according to Gaza health officials. In Israel, ten people were killed, including two girls.
According to the Associated Press, the decision not to directly demand a truce, according to a US administration official familiar with Monday's call, was deliberate. The statement's wording reflects the White House's determination to support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas, according to the unidentified official. Biden and top aides are worried about the mounting violence and loss of innocent life, but the statement's wording reflects the White House's determination to support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas.
Biden is under growing pressure from within his own party to take a stronger stance against Israel and demand an immediate ceasefire. Some Democrats were outraged by a Washington Post story that the administration had authorized the sale of $735 million worth of precision-guided bombs to Israel.
In a tweet, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said, "The United States should not stand idly by when crimes against humanity are committed with our help."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined scores of Democratic lawmakers – as well as one Republican, independent Senator Bernie Sanders – in calling for a truce from both sides on Monday. Over the weekend, another famous Democrat, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, pressed the US to get more involved.
Army General Mark Milley, the top US military officer, cautioned that the violence might spread on Monday night.
Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters before flying to Brussels on Monday for talks with Nato allies, "I assess that you risk wider destabilization and a whole range of negative consequences if the fighting continues." “Continuing to fight serves no one's interests.”
Israeli attacks have damaged a health center, targeted an aid worker's house, killed two physicians, destroyed high-rise residential buildings, blown up a mattress factory, and leveled the offices of international news organizations in the last week.
Israel claims that its attacks are aimed at terrorists. Hamas, the Islamist faction that rules the Gaza Strip, has stationed fighters in residential areas and fired rockets from there. Ten people have been killed in Israel by militants who have fired over 3,000 rockets in the last week, including two children.
Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said on Monday that a truce could be reached. Egypt has long served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. “There is still hope that a concerted effort will bring the dispute to an end,” he told reporters.
On Monday, the Israeli army said that it fired artillery at Lebanon in retaliation for rocket fire from the neighboring country that missed the Jewish state.
The army said in a statement that “six failed launch attempts from Lebanon were found that did not cross into Israeli territory.” “Artillery powers opened fire on the launch sources.”
Three "Grad-type rockets" were launched from near the border towards Israel, a Lebanese military source told Agence France-Presse. After the recent flare-up of hostilities, missiles have been fired from Lebanese territory toward Israel for the second time.
After detecting rocket fire from the region of Rashaya Al Foukhar, north of Kfar Choub in southern Lebanon, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said it was stepping up patrols. UNIFIL said on Twitter that the situation in the region had calmed down and that its head of mission was in touch with all parties to maintain peace.
