US official discusses 'efforts to achieve calm' in call with Qatar
President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed "efforts to achieve calm" in Israel and the Palestinian territories during a phone call with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the US National Security Council said.
"They discussed their shared concerns about the current situation in Gaza and Jerusalem," spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Mr. Sullivan made clear that the ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas into Israel are unacceptable and must end. They discussed their ongoing outreach to relevant parties in support of efforts to achieve calm, and agreed to remain in close touch in the period ahead."
Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stressed that the administration is intensifying efforts - in private - to de-escalate the conflict, saying that US officials had conducted more than 25 high level calls with regional states.
She claimed that Qatar and Egypt have sway over Hamas.
"We're in regular dialogue multiple times per day... with Egyptian and Qatari officials, who have significant influence over Hamas. Our objective here is de-escalation as we look to protecting the people in the region."