President Barack Obama stressed the need for an end to Hamas rocket attacks on Israel in a telephone call to Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Monday to discuss ways to de-escalate cross-border fighting in Gaza, the White House said.

Obama “underscored the necessity of Hamas ending rocket fire into Israel” in his call to Mursi, the White House said in a statement. During the call, and in a separate one to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Obama voiced regret over the loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives, the White House said.

Obama made the calls from Cambodia, where he is attending the East Asian Summit of regional and world leaders, the White House said.

(Reuters)