The United States and several European countries have put the brunt of the blame for the current crisis on Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist movement that has been branded a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel and the European Union. Those Western powers say Israel has a right to self-defense, while Arab and Muslim nations have accused Israel of being the aggressor.

Rocket attacks into Israel were the "precipitating event" for the fighting under way now, U.S. President Barack Obama said during a stop in Thailand on Sunday. "We are actively working with all the parties in the region to see if we can end those missiles being fired without further escalation of violence in the region."

Obama said he has spoken with Netanyahu, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy, and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. He emphasized that "those who champion the cause of the Palestinians should recognize that if we see a further escalation of the situation in Gaza, then the likelihood" of peace talks resuming that could lead to a two-state solution "is going to be pushed off way into the future," Obama said.