Netanyahu ‘determined’ to continue Gaza bombardment:

Israeli PM defies call by US President Joe Biden for a significant de-escalation in Gaza today on the path to a truce.

Israeli fighter jets continued to pummel the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, flattening residential buildings and raising the death toll to at least 227.

The health ministry of Gaza said

the dead included 64 children and 38 women. On the 10th day of the escalating violence, US President Joe Biden discussed the Gaza events with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he expected “a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire”. However, Netanyahu said after the phone call with Biden that he was “determined” to continue bombarding Gaza until Israel’s “aim is met”. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers have failed to make much headway.

The United States continued to block the UN Security Council from issuing a joint statement urging an end to the hostilities, telling diplomats that a public statement would not help calm the tensions. France, however, says it is working with Israel’s neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, on a new ceasefire resolution. China said it was “supportive” of the French proposal. US says no to French push for UN resolution

The US mission to the United Nations said it “will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate” violence between Israel and Palestinian fighters when asked about a French push for a Security Council resolution. “We’ve been clear and consistent that we are focused on intensive diplomatic efforts underway to bring an end to the violence and that we will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate,” a spokesperson for the mission said.

Progressive US legislators object to $735m US arms sale to Israel A small group of US progressive legislators led by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are objecting to a $735m US munitions sale to Israel approved by the Biden administration.