U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday said he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the situation in
Gaza, underscoring the U.S. support for Israel to defend itself but raising concerns about consequences of wider conflict.
Obama said he reaffirmed the United States' strong support for its ally but that he "also made clear the United States ... and our allies are deeply concerned about the risks of further escalation and the loss of more innocent life."
"We are hopeful that Israel will continue to approach this process in a way that minimizes civilian casualties," Obama told reporters at the White House.
Obama's remarks come amid escalating violence in the region between Israel and Palestinian militants. On Friday, Israel intensified its land offensive in Gaza and warned it could "significantly widen" an operation that Palestinian officials said was increasingly killing civilians.
During the phone call, a siren went off warning of a rocket attack from Gaza, both leaders said.
Netanyahu told Obama that "this is the reality for millions of Israeli citizens," according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
Obama also said he told Netanyahu that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is also prepared to visit the region.
"All of us are working hard to return to the cease-fire that was reached in November of 2012," Obama said.
Netanyahu thanked Obama for U.S. support of Israel's right to defend itself, and the Israeli leader said that the Islamist group Hamas, by using Palestinians in Gaza as human shields, was responsible for any harm to them, the statement from the Israeli leader said.
On another note, President Barack Obama said a surface-to-air missile fired from territory that is controlled by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine was responsible for shooting down a
Malaysian passenger plane on Thursday.
Obama also said Russian President Vladimir Putin had the most power to reduce the violence in Ukraine and had not chosen to do so. He said Ukraine separatists had received a steady flow of support from Russia, including anti-aircraft weapons.
Obama's comments were the strongest public assertions yet from the United States that pro-Russian separatists likely brought down the plane and that Moscow bears some responsibility by allowing sophisticated Russian arms to flow into eastern Ukraine.
If Putin made the decision that to stop the flow of armaments and fighters into Ukraine, it would stop, Obama said.
Obama called the incident an "outrage" of unspeakable proportions. So far, officials had determined that only one U.S. citizen had been on board the plane.
"This was a global tragedy," Obama said, calling for a credible international investigation into what happened.
He said Russia, pro-Russia separatists and Ukraine must adhere to an immediate ceasefire.
"It's important for us to recognize that this outrageous event underscores that it is time for peace and security to be restored in Ukraine," he said.
Most of Obama's remarks were focused on Russia. Time and again, he said, Moscow had refused to take the necessary steps to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine.
"If Mr. Putin makes a decision that we are not going to allow heavy armaments and the flow of fighters into Ukraine ... then it will stop," Obama said.
"And if it stops, then the separatists will still have the capacity to enter into negotiations and try to arrive at the sort of political accommodations that Mr. Putin himself says he wants to see."
REUTERS