White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters Thursday: “There is no justification for the violence that Hamas and other terrorist organizations are employing against the people of Israel.” Speaking later Thursday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said the onus was on Hamas to stop the violence.

Mark Toner: “Let me be very clear: The onus here is on Hamas. And, you know, as Jay Carney just said from the White House, it claims to have the best interests of the Palestinian people at heart, but through its actions, it’s showing — it’s showing a far different agenda.”

Israel has also continued to prepare for a potential ground invasion in Gaza by calling up thousands of army reservists. Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil visited the Gaza Strip Friday in a show of solidarity amidst fragile hopes he might broker a truce.