• Israel-Hamas, the rain of rockets and bombs continues.

    Egypt is working on a truce

  • Israel offensive against Hamas.

    In Gaza, the headquarters of Al Jazeera and Ap

  • Gaza.

    Hamas calls for a truce, but there is an Israeli no

  • Israel: UN Security Council meeting, US opposed to declaration.

    Severe escalation

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May 18, 2021

Joe Biden returns to speak with Benjamin Netanyahu to ask for a ceasefire in Gaza. This was announced by the White House, also referring to the American commitment "with Egypt and other partners for this purpose". Biden, however, confirmed to Netanyahu the strong American support for Israel's right to defend itself from missile attacks. An invitation not accepted by the Israeli premier: "Israel intends to achieve all the objectives set for the intervention in Gaza" Netanyahu replied during the conversation. 



"We are working behind the scenes" and "working in silence". The frequency with which the White House spokesman, Jen Psaki, gets on the defensive in the face of pressing requests for clarification from journalists regarding the crisis in the Middle East, indicates a new moment of difficulty for the Biden administration. 



The "behind the scenes" must deal, in these hours, with public requests for clarification and quickly: Biden has been criticized for having blown up the emergency meeting of the Security Council that should have asked for an immediate end of hostilities and the representative, from the left wing of the Democratic Party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, condemned the decision with a tweet in which she accused the United States of being "complicit" in the tragic apartheid in which the Palestinians are trapped. 



The uncertainty comes as the Biden administration has notified the sale of weapons to Israel for $ 735 million, including laser-guided bombs with a devastating impact. It was May 5th when the announcement came. Five days later, 'Operation Guardian of the Walls' began, still in progress, which caused more than two hundred deaths. 



Although diplomatic efforts do not seem to lead to much, the Israeli press is optimistic: a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is "near", should be achieved "in two days at the latest". A diplomatic source with knowledge of Egyptian activity told the Times of Israel. Meanwhile, the public broadcaster Kan has claimed that today Israel will allow 24 trucks with food, medicine and fuel to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing.



For now, bombing continues, yesterday the only Covid laboratory in the Gaza Strip was damaged in the bombing of a residential building in the center of the Palestinian enclave. The Middle East Eye reported, saying that the attack on the Ghazi al-Shwwa building destroyed the upper floors, hit by three missiles. The raid also affected nearby properties, including an orphanage, a girls' high school, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the al-Rimal clinic which had to stop testing for coronavirus.