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Subscribe to RSSSecretary of State Hillary Clinton has undertaken the difficult task of helping to shepherd a possible ceasefire. Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, meanwhile, is playing a key role as an intermediary with Hamas, a group labeled by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
Updated at 4:50 p.m. ET: Following her arrival in Israel, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated at a press conference Tuesday that America's commitment to Israel's security is "rock solid," adding that "the goal must be a durable outcome that promotes regional stability and advances the security and legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians alike."
"The rocket attacks from terrorist organizations inside Gaza on Israeli cities and towns must end, and a broader calm restored," Clinton said, adding that there are no substitutes for security and a just and lasting peace.
Speaking in Jerusalem, Clinton also offered her condolences for those lost in the violence.
"Our hearts break for the loss of every civilian, Israeli and Palestinian, and for all those who have been wounded and are living in fear and danger," she said, adding that she would work with Israel and Egypt on brokering a truce in Gaza "in the days ahead."
Israel is prepared to escalate its offensive but would prefer a long-term diplomatic solution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.
"If there is a possibility of achieving a long-term solution to this problem with diplomatic means, we prefer that," he said in a public statement alongside Clinton.
"But if not, I'm sure you understand that Israel will have to take whatever action is necessary to defend its people."
Earlier, a Hamas official said a truce with Israel would not be reached Tuesday because the Israeli government had yet to respond to proposals.
"The Israeli side has not responded yet, so we will not hold a (news) conference this evening and must wait until tomorrow," Ezzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas leader, told Reuters. "The truce is now held up because we are waiting for the Israeli side to respond," he added in a short telephone interview.
A flurry of violence hit Gaza Tuesday as Israel bombed a Gaza bank and targeted the homes of militants. Hamas responded with more than 100 rockets. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Clinton landed at 9:51 p.m. local time in Tel Aviv, where she met with Netanyahu. Later, Clinton will meet with the President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah before heading to Cairo.
A U.S. official stressed to NBC News that Clinton would not meet with representatives of Hamas, the Islamist organization that controls the Gaza Strip, largely because of its failure to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel's right to exist.
Egyptian officials said talks are ongoing to reach a truce in Gaza, although any agreement appears unlikely to address the long-term areas of disagreement between Israel and the Hamas leaders of the Gaza Strip, NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reported Tuesday.
The expected "cessation of hostilities" will call on all parties to use maximum restraint, according to one former intelligence official familiar with the talks.
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Two sides exchange deadly airstrikes, rocket attacks.
Earlier Tuesday, President Barack Obama spoke to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, who is seeking to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
According to White House officials, Obama spoke to Morsi for the third time in 24 hours. Deputy National Security adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama wanted to talk to Morsi before Clinton's arrival in Israel.
Rhodes said Obama underscored the importance of Morsi working toward a de-escalation to the conflict in Gaza. He also commended Morsi's efforts to pursue a de-escalation and acknowledged Egypt's important role in the region's security.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is attempting to bring about a ceasefire, or to prevent Israel from invading Gaza while convincing Egypt's president to pressure Hamas to stop firing rockets. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Rhodes said Obama emphasized the importance of a diplomatic solution, but said that rocket fire from Gaza into Israel must stop.
Israel Defense Forces continued airstrikes overnight, and also said 39 rockets fired from Gaza hit Israel Tuesday in a message on its Twitter account.
Since Israel launched its military campaign seven days ago in response to rocket fire, more than 100 people in Gaza and three people in Israel have been killed.
Internationally, the main focus was on stopping the violence, and Morsi hinted at a possible breakthrough Tuesday.
Speaking at his sister's funeral in Egypt, Morsi said the "aggression on Gaza" would end Tuesday. He made the apparently off-the-cuff comments in front of mourners who had come to pay their respects, but did not elaborate. Several journalists traveling with Morsi confirmed he made the remark.
'Army must invade': In southern Israel, support grows for action in Gaza
In Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel would be a “willing partner” in a cease-fire, but also issued a warning.
He said if further military action proved necessary “to stop the constant barrage of rockets, Israel will not hesitate to do what is necessary to defend our people.”
And Mohammed Deif, the new leader of Hamas' military wing, sounded a defiant note, saying that the movement was ready to fight and would not back down from its efforts to liberate Palestine.
He was speaking in his first audio recording since the group’s previous top military commander, Ahmed Jabari, was killed in an Israeli airstrike Wednesday. Deif, who has survived several assassination attempts in the past, called for Hamas’ supporters to remain steadfast.
We are very scared': Egyptians fear being mired in Gaza-Israel crisis
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Key players in the Israel-Gaza cross-border conflict
How Israel's 'Iron Dome' intercepts incoming rockets in Gaza conflict
Israeli government websites under mass hacking attack
'Difficult' situation
It is unclear how much influence Clinton can have on the situation.
“She is going to go out there to be in the region to have direct, face-to-face discussions with those leaders,” Rhodes said. “I don’t want to predict exactly what the outcome of those discussions will be. We all know how difficult this situation is.”
The White House thinks the leaders who are heavily involved in the region “understand what the best outcome is,” Rhodes added, but that a peaceful goal is only achievable “if Hamas takes action to stop what they’ve been doing.”
An Israeli soldier and a civilian died when rockets exploded near the Gaza frontier, police and the army said.
An Israeli air strike on two cars in the Gaza Strip killed six Palestinians Tuesday, while two children died in an attack in the north of the territory, local residents and medics told Reuters.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Tuesday for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and said a threatened Israeli ground operation in the Palestinian enclave would be a “dangerous escalation” that must be avoided.
Later, standing alongside Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Ban urged Israel to show "maximum restraint" and condemned rocket attacks on Israel.
Also Tuesday, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia and Sudan traveled from Egypt to Gaza in an unprecedented move designed to show solidarity with the Palestinians, NBC News reported.
US Embassy guard wounded
Meanwhile, a man was arrested after he stabbed a security guard Tuesday at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, a police spokesman told Reuters.
The spokesman said the guard opened fire during the attack.
Israel Radio said the attacker, who police said was armed with a knife and an ax, was wounded.
Oded Balilty / AP
Israeli police officers detain a man who attacked a security guard at the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday.
NBC's Shawna Thomas, Ayman Mohyeldin and Ian Johnston, and Reuters contributed to this report.
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- Key players in the Israel-Gaza cross-border conflict
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Leave a Comment:
So Mrs Clinton before you talk to Israel about a peaceful end to this conflict started by Hamas. why was your ambassador killed in Syria after he repeatedly asked for more security ? I see how you take care of your own... Before you talk to Israel about peace, go talk to Hamas about peace, then come back.
Ask her Lesbo Muslim side kick, she has the answer as to why the Ambassador died.
( and he was not killed in Syria. )
Syria or Libya - they both end in "a" so that's good enough for Bill.
Send a nuke to both and they will both be just big piles of glass...Oops meant Libya, but hey they are both Arab countries with not lot of oil, so I do not care...
The goal is NOT a truce or ceasefire. The goal is for Israel to go into Gaza on the ground. Crush Hamas, and reoccupy the territory until a real peace can be established. There can be no peace with terrorists like Hamas.
The problem is the hemming and hawing for decades. Just go in trash GAZA take it back over and be done with it
Headlines of 2012;2030; 2044;2100;2300;3400 and so forth: Talks Proceed on Gaza, Israel.
Mo' money. Mo' DoD. Some Yalow, as he sits on the pot wanting to @!$%# but won't, wil say, "this administration has ruined Israel. Another will say nothing. Another will side with someone. Someone will have an opinion. An ideology of some sort or another. Same old @!$%#.
And, the stupid ass materialistic Gentile, who listens to others opinions about him/her, will say, "Yes master. whatever you say. How about my third mortgage? My 4th, 5th. Bail-me-out."
WHY Obama/Hillary did not intervened from the day one to stop killings and destruction? Only because, the attack was planned jointly, executed jointly and now may be stopped jointly after obtaining desired goals. But, it looks like a faulty and very damaging strategy. By killings innocents, several children in hands, America and Israel has doubtlessly breed not only hatred among the millions of Muslims around the globe but made easy for the Jihadis to enroll their camps. However, everything is not lost for Obama/Hillary and Israel, if they can take a deep breath and device a long term solution for Gaza's 4 million human beings who are living worst human lives under iron fist occupation and of course million of Israelis who have to hear false rocket sirens day and nights and wear guns on their body even during sleeping.The painful inhumane conditions in the 21st century is unacceptable and must be ended soon.
...Israel stole the real estate from the Palestinians a few decades back. Israel used to be called Palestine before that. ...Israel needs to give Palestine back to the Palestinians and pay them rent for all the years they've occupied it.
Dear Raghead- The date/year on the Israeli calander is 5744, so over 5500 years, that land was ISRAEL. The vermin who squatted in ISRAEL were given most of the land by the U.N., The Jews got 1/4 of the land. Not good enough for the so called Palestinians (there is NO race of people called "Palestinians). Their ONLY goal was to "drive the Jews into the sea". Over and over , they have had their behinds handed to them by the jews. In 1967 Israel took on five arab countries, and kicked their asses.They took huge tracts of land-most of which they gave back. Egypt did not WANT Gaza back-because it didn't want the pals being part of their country. The Palestinians have been tossed out of three countries by their "Arab brothers" Egypt didn't want them, Jordan threw them out, as did Lebanon.Why? because they bring death and TROUBLE whherever they go. Israel has a booming economy. The Palestinians produce NOTHING except bombs. Many Arabs live in Israel-happily. They are going to go too far this time, and at last get crushed. Most every country is sick and tired of their act- terrorist groups like Hamas, the Taliban, Islamic Jhiad, Al Quada and others. These are the people who produced 9/11 .Time for THEIR 9/11.
this article is incredible, so Clinton does not want to meet with Hamas because they do not recognise the state of Israel and their right to exist.
The Palestinians have the right to exist as much as the Israeli. The Israeli stole their land and are occupying Palestinian territories.
Clinton would not like the Mexicans to occupy United States territories right? The US always support Israel because they are a lot rich Israeli that controls US Government. Also her daughter married a Jew. Talking about your chicken coming home to roast, she is not conflict free.
Please, learn proper speech before you begin your rant!!
Your wrong, the Gaza strip belonged to Israel to begin with. You're probably to young to know.
Its a comment page Joe. Lighten up. No one is editing or spell checking. Nothing is going into an historical account. And no one is being paid for their time. Just go with it. Hate people who don't agree with your opinions, and love people who do... its all good venting.... ranting.
The former German city of Danzig is now the Polish city of Gdansk. Did the Poles "steal" German land after having been butchered by those Germans? Or was it what Germany deserved?
@BooHoo: ...There was no "Israel" at all until a few short decades ago. ...The ENTIRE region was known as Palestine. ...Of course, you're probably too young to know.
Not quite that simple. Israel took back the Gaza Strip after launching a pre-emptive strike against Egypt.. Israel knew that Egypt, along with Syria and other Arab nations, was planning to attack Israel and sent in ground troops to save Israel. If you're too young to remember the PLO and the Six Day War, here you go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War
I think BooHoo was saying that in 1948 when Israel became a country, Gaza was part of Israel. In 1949, the land was seized from Israel during a guerrilla attack. Whether 64 years as a country is "a few short decades" is open for debate.
@Clotho: ...Compared to the length of time Palestine was a nation that included the real estate we now call "Israel", six decades is, indeed, a few short decades ago. ...Unless you're Jewish. Then the six decades becomes "since the beginning of time". ...LMAO!!!
...Yes, the Jews there, most of them non-mideeast natives did indeed steal their country from the Palestinians with the help of British enforcers. Most of the Palestinians were then put on "reservations", much like the reservations Native Americans were relocated to, except worse conditions.
Palestinians have been fighting to get their rightful real estate back ever since it was stolen to create the theocracy we call "Israel".
Let them try and take it...would LOVE them to try.
Please Hillary... at least comb your hair out and get some pants and stuff that fit so you will look kind of respectable while you are bending over taking another one for Obama giving our borrowed Chinese money away. It will just look a little better while you are being used. And don't forget... well, go ahead forget.
If you get down to the truth the Romans stole the Jews land and they just came back to reclaim it.
I think the Palestinians should stop firing rockets before they get destroyed.
Hillary Elmo Clinton, she's a Woman, these barbarians don't care anything about a Woman. She's a big laugh to these Muslim nomads.
What a joke Obama has put the US in when it comes to foreign affairs.
And where is Obama? Burning jet fuel somewhere in the big blue wonder. What a joke he is to the world, I bet they were all laughing when he got reelected.
Yeah, the great world WE ALL INHERITED from George W and psycho Dick Cheney. The one where we started a ten year, trillion dollar war over FAKE weapons of mass destruction because the REAL REASON was Saddam threatened to kill DADDY for kicking his butt out of Kuwait and George couldn't let that threat go so he sent our best and brave soldiers over there, and now they have democracy and freedom and they love us so much, so thankful. And, oh yeah, the OTHER ELEVEN YEAR WAR in Afghanistan to take out the Taliban and Al Quieda, and ELEVEN YEARS and TRILLIONS OF DOLLAR LATER and OUR BEST AND BRAVE SOLDIERS killed, hurt, or exhausted, AND all the terrorist are gone, right? and they love us and are thanking us so much, right? I guess George and Dick had a great knowledge of foreign affairs that AFTER THE TWO TRILLION DOLLAR, ELEVEN YEAR WARS, everything is much better?
Hey, stop that. People of the world love Obama... he's handing out our borrowed chinese money like hotcakes. Sure they are laughing at him/us, but they are also very happy for the U.S. government handouts coming their way.
And, so what if he likes flying around in his big plane adding to global warming. First it was Air Force One, then for a couple years Air Vacation One, then a couple years Air Campaign One, and now back to Air Vacation One. Varooommm.... off we go, into some place other than responsibility, flying high on reefer into the sky..... nothing can stop the Obama air force, from vacations.
But you are correct, to them, Hillary/ a woman is a complete slap in the face. Don't worry, they will be nice to her while reaching around her back hanging a "kick me" sign on her.
Bill, really, more Bush fault? four years bill... hire a writer and get some new material, seen that show for years now. Try move on dot org... they got a whole new list of socialist talking points listed. Heck, just cut and paste... no need to think even.
Actually he is very well regarded by our allies. He consults with allies before taking action. Thats what allies do.
When the Obama haters quit the spin and bull, I'll start talking a fair game. I used to but I go sick of the right wing, anti Obama mud slinging, outright lies, political spin, the screaming and yelling, and oh my god, the end of the world is near, the worst president we ever had bull, that I don't waste my time debating. I just throw it right back. So, IF Obama has NO foreign policy, and that is why everything is a mess, WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU when George & Dick were in BECASUE I never heard the right say anything then.
Ya, he is very well regarded.... "Just tell me what you want to make this all go away so I can get on with my vacation and then back home to adoring crowds and a nice greasy chili dog, and you all take care of things... this is a bother to my golf schedule". Couldn't lead ants to a picnic.
What action has he taken exactly? I know he is a man of action... but, I can't think of anything.
Gofigure....Obama takes a lot less vac days than W did. A lot less. Are you proposin we stop meeting with foreign leaders.
guy, you are absolutely correct. He always gives at least one five minute speech or photo op on his .... travels.... so he can put the cost back onto the American people. Yep.
Go to the CBO website, click around to White House spending... it is a real eye opener.
Off we go.... into the wild blue yonder..... as he said, scouting out vacation spots for Michelle.
Get real with your lies.
If Hillary gets abandoned and blown out by terrorists over there smiling at them... will old joe biden show up for the funeral and say to Big Bill "Your wife must have had a set of balls the size of cue balls" like he did to the families from Libya? That would be sad, but kind of funny in a way.
Hamas: YOU fire missles into Isreal. If you are really lucky, you don't kill or hurt anyone, just make a point. If you are really lucky, you just kill or hurt a soldier and since YOU are fighting a war, an Isreali soldier WOULD be the target. If you are not so lucky, you kill innocent people, maybe elderly, myabe kids, and it really doesn't matter, a civilian. THEN You and Your Buddy Egypt are "shocked' when Israel fires back AND innocent people are killed. Since, like cowards, you hide everything behind civilians or around civilians, they get hurt and killed too. So, you might as well be hurting or killing your own people because that is exactly WHAT you do. In fact, it is MUCH MORE that what you do, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. Keep your people in a state of perpetual hate and war, no education, no good jobs, no international relations, no allowance for the world outside to come in, no new ideas, no other ideas, just a land of hoplessness and hate and war AND SINCE THAT IS ALL YOU HAVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE, WHY NOT SACRIFICE THEM TO ISRAELI MISSLES. What other hope do they have? If they can't have the desert Isreal is on, well, they might as well die fighting jihad. So, stop complaining, It is EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU GIVE YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
a hamas spokesman on cnn is sying that it is all israels fault. give me a break!!! it is hamas that is firing unguided rockets into israel in civilian areas israel is using as much care as possible to avoid civilians but when you shoot from a school yard or mosque, hospital or crowded civilian area what do you expect in return he says the israeli army is the most powerful in the area if he is correct and he is why would you pick a fight with someone like that is he hoping all of the arab countries will join in. that would be foolish because of what it would bring to bear it would probably be the end of mankind as we know it
Shes got oily hair and a greasy smile.
...That ain't America.
Hillary, you will be as useful as you were to Chris Stevens. Stay in the US and get your hair cut instead; those stringy, oily strands look horrible.
Talks are cheap, peace talks are only going to benefit the enemies of Israel, the United States needs to grow a pair and join Israel and wipe the middle east clean of those who wish to inflict terror and chaos. The only way that peace will be established is if the enemies are destroyed.
Yeah freakin right! Just because her ugly butt is going over there? Those jackasses sre still gonna kept shooting at Israel. Wants she gonn do ? Put her ugly mug in the way to deflect the rockets. Gimme a break!
Oh good. So in 2016, Republicans will replace 8 years of black racist verbiage with 8 years of misogynist, women-hating nonsense. How fun.
I'm sure Muslims just love to hear what she says.
Shortly after she left the last time, an Ambassador & 3 others died.
Wouldn't know anything about that would you Hillary ?
Perhaps your Lesbo Muslim side kick does.......
Palestine is a European invention. It did not exist 100 years ago except as the southern provinces of Syria. When given separate nationhood, its Muslims attacked non-Muslims, which was typical for Muslims in the Near East. Its leadership ignored the British administration and formed alliances with the Third Reich. Muslims were recruited to serve in the Waffen-SS. The pro-Nazi regime collapsed in 1948 when the Brits withdrew and the Jews of Palestine rebelled. The Jewish areas became Israel, the other areas became provinces of Jordan and Egypt. To claim a Palestinian identity is to engage in political propaganda.
Bull crap! Israel needs to get in there and clean house. These Muslim terrorists will use the peace talks to pull back, organize and strike again! Eradicate them all, they are our enemy as well as Israel's!
I see you advocate killing children, because every last child who is old enough to be cognizant hates Israel and will fight to the last breath. I can tell by your post that you would not take being squeezed into tighter and tighter little pockets for over 60 years.
"War is all hell." William T. Sherman
"This war differs from all other wars in this particular. We are not fighting armies but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war." William T. Sherman
"War is the remedy our enemies have chosen, and I say lets give them all they want." William T. Sherman
"But, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for anything. Then, I will share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter. " William T. Sherman
She has her CapriSun blood straw that she is going to poke into Gaza. I can hear the sucking sound from California!
Clinton flies to Mideast on Gaza peace mission
I wonder if she took a plane.
Totherepublic;
now that has to be the best thing I have read in a very long time... LMAO
USS HYMAN?
Someone mentioned the Hillary as being like Elmo. Did anyone notice today the elmo puppet guy quit, and his bosses said it was because he used bad internet judgement? Too funny. First the man (was a kid) comes out and tells on the elmo guy, then the elmo guy says no, then he says yes, then the payoff and the man (was a kid) says it never happened, then it is kind of gone.. but for some reason they tank the elmo guy and put out this silly statement.
Do I smell a Penn State or Libya thing going on here in Sesame Street? Its exact. Will they fire the PBS leadership for not telling the truth, then keep them off the freebie play list for a while as punishment? hmmm...
Think Romney was right no funding PBS
PBS = Pedophile Broadcasting Station.
The United States should not be involved in the affairs of the Middle East. In particular any alliance with Israel needs to be ended, this gives the Israeli's an unfair advantage and IS the underlying cause for the disapproval of not only the Muslim World, but much of the world. The word I have used, disapproval, easily escalates into hate and terrorism.
If you really understood the repressive and brutal treatment of those in Gaza by the Israeli's you would see a far different picture. There is an excellent book worth reading, "The Israeli Holocaust Against The Palestinians", by Hoffman & Lieberman, ISBN 0-9703784-2-4, avail @ Amazon.
This involvement of the United States in the Middle East is an albatross around our nations financial neck, not to mention the threat to our security and world security. We need a political machine that looks to the welfare of the United States, not to the welfare of others at the expense of the United States.
Yes we know the Palestinians are waging a propaganda war against Israel without mentioning they provoke what they get.
You are speaking from the muslim/arab perspective. The US courted Israel after creation of their state in order to balance the Soviet influence in that region, Egypt in particular. Our support is for a democratic government, which is sorely lacking in arab/muslim dictatorships. You can find a book, any book, written by anyone you like who reflects the hatred, or the logic you like his to present. There are hundreds of books countring the one you mentioned. You seem to subscribe to a failed ideology and then try to write a comment to justify it.
Libs like to be anti-American and anti-Israeli until it is their ass being shot at.
Gofigure...
so funny