Live Update From the Liveblog of
Friday, July 18, 2014
Obama urges Israel to minimize civilian casualties
President Barack Obama is encouraging Israel to try to minimize civilian deaths in its ground push into Hamas-ruled Gaza.
Obama says he talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday about the Gaza operation and reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself. He told reporters at the White House that no nation should accept rockets being fired into its borders.
— Associated Press