Calling Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden Asks Israeli-Palestinian Ceasefire

Illustration of Israeli soldiers. (Wikimedia Commons/Justin McIntosh)

JAKARTA - United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing his support for an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire.

This was announced by the White House on Monday local time. In his statement also called for the involvement of international partners, in order to realize the ceasefire.

"President Joe Biden declared his support for the ceasefire and discussed U.S. involvement with Egypt and other partners to achieve that goal," the White House told Reuters on Tuesday, May 18.

Israel is known to continue hitting Gaza with airstrikes on Monday and Palestinian militants launching more rockets into Israeli cities.

At least 212 Palestinians have been killed, including 61 children and 36 women, in a battle that lasted more than a week, according to Gaza health officials. On the Israeli side, ten people were killed, including two children.

"President Biden urged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians. The president reaffirmed his firm support for Israel's right to defend itself from indiscriminate rocket attacks," the statement continued.

Separately, the insistence on Joe Biden to be more active in his handling of the Israeli-Palestinian issue domestically is also growing. Democratic lawmakers who supported him, including those who vocally pushed Joe Biden.

"Our calculation at this point is that having a behind-the-scenes conversation is the most constructive approach we can take," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

However, supporters of President Joe Biden's administration are demanding faster action, so that the Israeli-Palestinian armed conflict does not intensify.

"We're really frustrated that the administration isn't moving more urgently," said Logan Bayroff, a spokesman for J Street, a liberal pro-Israel lobby group.

Earlier, twenty-eight senators, more than half of the Democratic caucus, issued a statement on Sunday calling for an immediate ceasefire, to prevent the loss of civilian lives and a further escalation of the conflict.