Netanyahu thanked Biden for supporting Israel in its operation against Hamas, a US-designated terrorist group, while making it clear that his country would continue the war “until all goals are fully achieved.”
President Biden, in turn, expressed US concern about the growing number of Palestinian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The White House said Biden did not discuss a ceasefire with the Israeli prime minister in the call on Saturday.
Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it fired decoy shots in the Issa area of Gaza City, luring dozens of militants from the Hamas headquarters building in the north of the enclave.
“IDF ground and reconnaissance forces directed an Israeli Air Force fighter to strike the building, killing the terrorists,” the IDF said in a statement.
The Israeli military also released a video showing Hamas tunnels in the Issa area. Israel accuses the militants of placing tunnels and other military infrastructure among civilians, using them as human shields. Hamas denies these accusations.
Israel fought fierce battles with Hamas on Saturday as it seeks full control of northern Gaza.
An IDF spokesman declined to comment on Palestinian reports that Israeli troops had launched a ground offensive in the Kerem Shalom area, east of the Rafah checkpoint.
An Israeli army spokesman described as “psychological terrorism” Hamas’ claim that Israeli bombing had caused it to lose contact with its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, which was holding five Israeli hostages. Hamas said the hostages were likely killed by Israeli gunfire.
On Saturday, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip health ministry said at least 200 civilians had been killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinian deaths over the past 11 weeks to 20,258.
