Air attacks rocked both sides of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip early Wednesday, despite intensified diplomatic efforts to halt the violence between Israel and Hamas militants that has killed more than 130 Palestinians and five Israelis.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo. Late Tuesday in Jerusalem, she discussed the volatile situation for two hours with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israel officials.
Mr. Netanyahu said before the meeting he prefers diplomacy to halt cross-border attacks. But he again pledged that Israel will take every action to protect its citizens, adding that no country can tolerate attacks on its citizens.
Clinton said the U.S. commitment to Israeli security is rock solid, and terrorist rocket attacks on Israel must end. She also said her heart breaks for every civilian death, Israeli and Palestinian.
Tuesday came and went without a temporary Egyptian-brokered cease-fire deal.