Biden's 'de-escalation' call falls flat as Netanyahu vows to press on

A tepid call by US President Joe Biden for "significant de-escalation" by Israel in Gaza has been met with a shrug in Tel Aviv. 

On Wednesday evening Israel's beleaguered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with a fierce military offensive in occupied Gaza, which has so far killed more than 227 Palestinian civilians, including 64 children and 38 women, and wounded 1,620 more. 

Netanyahu’s belligerent rhetoric slapped down even Biden's lukewarm call for a scaling back of military activity by Israel. 

Biden has been widely condemned for avoiding to press Israel more directly and publicly for a ceasefire with Gaza’s Hamas rulers. But pressure has been building for Biden to intervene more forcefully as other diplomatic efforts gather strength.

In the meantime, Israel has continued to pound targets, many of which are civilian, in Gaza, with air strikes. Palestinian resistance groups have responded to Israel's aggression with homemade rockets which they fire mainly throughout the day to avoid detection.

READ MORE: Israel strikes on Gaza raze family homes, clinics as death toll mounts

'Most failed and most pointless'

After a visit to military headquarters, Netanyahu said he appreciated “the support of the American president,” but he said Israel would push ahead to return “calm and security” to Israeli citizens.

Egyptian negotiators have also been working to halt the fighting, and an Egyptian diplomat said top officials were waiting for Israel’s response to a ceasefire offer. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he would fly to the region on Thursday for talks with Israelis and Palestinians.

Within Israel there is increasing criticism of Netanyahu for starting and inflaming events. 

In a stinging rebuke to the country's leadership, the editor in chief of Israel's most respected newspaper, Haaretz, has called the country's ongoing war in Gaza the "most failed and pointless Gaza operation ever."

Whereas one of Israel's leading opposition politicians, Yair Lapid has accused Netanyahu of fanning the flames of war, no matter the cost, in a bid to salvage his political fortunes.

"The fire always breaks out precisely when it's most convenient," Lapid said to Israeli news outlets suggesting that Netanyahu stood most to benefit from the latest war.

Lapid is attempting to form a coalition government after Netanyahu failed.

Israel’s attacks on Gaza follow spiking tensions in occupied Jerusalem during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Israeli police deployed heavy-handed tactics against Palestinian worshippers in and around Al Aqsa Mosque in the last week of the holy month.

Another flashpoint in recent days has been a court case that could end with Palestinian families evicted from occupied East Jerusalem homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood claimed by Jewish settlers.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognised by the international community.

READ MORE: Israeli police open fire on Palestinian protesters in occupied West Bank