U.S. President Joe Biden ramped up efforts to calm Israeli-Palestinian tensions and urged the protection of civilians, including children, after an Israeli airstrike targeted media offices in Gaza.
Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his "grave concern” about the ongoing violence, the White House said in a readout. He reaffirmed, though, Israel’s right to defend itself against "Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza.”
Speaking with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the first time since taking office, Biden "underscored his strong commitment to a negotiated two-state solution” to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He stressed the need for Hamas to cease firing rockets into Israel, the White House said.