Biden calls for 'significant de-escalation today' in 4th call with Israel's Netanyahu

President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for "a significant de-escalation today" in a 4th call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the fourth time in a week, calling Israel's long-serving leader on Wednesday to say he "expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire," according to the White House. Netanyahu has resisted global calls for a halt to the hostilities between Israeli security forces and Hamas, the militant group that governs the Palestinian people of Gaza. In a week and a half of fighting, hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded. Biden has faced growing pressure from other world leaders, human rights groups, and the progressive faction of his own party to push Netanyahu to stop Israeli strikes on Gaza. After speaking Monday, Biden for the first time backed a cease-fire, according to a White House account of the call. But their latest call was new for the deadline Biden appeared to lay out in use of the word "today" in calling for "a significant de-escalation." The White House readout was the most strongly worded yet from the U.S. side, even as Biden has repeatedly backed Israel's right to self defense against Hamas's constant barrage of rocket fire.