Biden urges Israel to operate 'by the rules of war'

US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Israel should abide by the rules of war in its fight against Hamas, five days after the Palestinian militant group's surprise attack that Israeli forces say saw more than 1,200 people killed.

Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "it is really important that Israel -- (with) all the anger and frustration... that they operate by the rules of war," Biden told a gathering of US Jewish community leaders.

Gaza officials have reported more than 1,000 people killed in Israel's sustained campaign of air and artillery strikes in recent days.