GAZA CITY—The U.S. and allies in the Mideast mounted a weekend diplomatic thrust to temper hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians, an effort that had scant effect as airstrikes, missile launches and street violence continued to grip the region.
As a U.S. envoy held talks in Jerusalem, President Biden spoke Saturday with both Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
and Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas.
Mr. Biden, urging de-escalation, reiterated his support for Israel’s right to defend itself and voiced concern about the deaths of civilians, including children, and the safety of journalists.
The U.S. also sought to work through diplomatic channels it opened in Cairo and Doha, Qatar, urging that intermediaries communicate to Hamas, which rules the Gaza strip, that it should unequivocally cease hostilities.
The U.S. message to Hamas, through Israel’s neighbors, is that rocket…