US President Joe Biden informed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Tuesday that he expects a “significant de-escalation today” in the conflict with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
“The two leaders had a discussion on the state of events in Gaza, Israel’s progress in degrading the capabilities of Hamas and other terrorist elements, and ongoing diplomatic efforts by regional governments and the US,” read the White House statement reported by NBC journalist Jake Sherman.
“The president conveyed to the prime minister that he expects a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire,” the statement read.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas responded to the report with a sharp rebuke: “Let me be clear. There is no moral equivalency between terrorists murdering innocent civilians and a sovereign nation (Israel) defending itself against those terrorists,” he said.
Netanyahu later shared in his own statement to Israeli media his response to the American president.
“With every passing day we are striking at more of the terrorist organizations’ capabilities, targeting more senior commanders, toppling more terrorist building and hitting more weapons stockpiles,” Netanyahu said he told Biden.
“Just as I told the ambassadors here today, this is the natural right of Israel. I very much appreciate the support of these governments, and I especially appreciate the support of our friend US President of the United States Joe Biden, for the State of Israel’s right to self-defense,” Netanyahu said, reflecting on his remarks to some 70 foreign ambassadors who attended a briefing Tuesday afternoon at the IDF Kirya Headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“I am determined to continue this operation until its objective is achieved: to restore quiet and security to you, citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli prime minister’s response comes as the Jewish State rejects another Egyptian-mediated ceasefire proposal from Hamas, just a day after two foreign workers were killed, and more than a dozen people were injured in various mortar and rocket attacks, and the same day as a Palestinian Arab group in south Lebanon fired four rockets at northern Israel.