While a cease-fire would be welcomed by the White House, Mr. Netanyahu has in recent days made clear that he intended to continue bombing until Israel has destroyed Hamas’s stockpile of rockets, launchers, and the tunnels from which Hamas fighters are operating.
“The directive is to continue striking at the terrorist targets,” Mr. Netanyahu said on Monday after meeting with Israeli security officials. “We will continue to take whatever action necessary in order to restore quiet and security for all the residents of Israel.”
By late Monday, the Israeli bombardment had killed 212 people in Gaza, and Hamas rockets had killed at least 10 in Israel. Hamas had fired almost as many rockets in eight days — 3,350, the Israeli military said — as it did in the 50-day war the two sides fought in 2014.
So far, Israel has resisted efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to broker a cease-fire. And Hamas has continued its rocket fire into Israel.
In his conversations with Mideast leaders, Mr. Biden has tried to move the United States to a more neutral role as a peacemaker, after four years of former President Donald J. Trump favoring Israel.
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/world/middleeast/biden-netanyahu-ceasefire.html
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