Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly told President Biden that a ground operation in the Gaza Strip is necessary after Hamas launched deadly strikes on his country.
The remark, made in a phone call between the two leaders, came as Biden expressed concerns about Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip if a ground operation is launched, three Israeli and US sources briefed on the call told Axios.
“We have to go in. We cannot negotiate now,” Netanyahu told the president, according to the newspaper.
Netanyahu told Biden that Israel had no choice but to respond with force, as a country cannot show weakness in the volatile Middle East, Axios also reported, citing the sources.
THE FAMILIES OF THE ISRAELIS FEARED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS SPEAK OUT
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly told President Biden that his country has no choice but to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas terror group, which controls the territory, attacked Israeli civilians. (SEBASTIAN SCHEINER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“We must restore deterrence,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
LIVE UPDATES: HAMAS ATTACKS ISRAEL
The State Department said nine Americans have been killed so far in the Hamas attacks, which began on Saturday.
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Israeli media reported on Monday that 800 Israelis had been killed, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported more than 550 deaths in the Gaza Strip.
