U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the death of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of Hamas, did not aid in moving towards a ceasefire in Gaza.

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This is Biden’s first comment on Haniyeh’s assassination, which occurred early last Wednesday in a strike targeting his residence in Tehran, the Iranian capital.

Biden added, during the reception of U.S. citizens returning from a prisoner exchange with Russia, that he had had “very direct conversations with Netanyahu.”

The White House had previously announced, on Thursday, a 30-minute call between Biden and Netanyahu, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, in an attempt to prevent the series of Israeli assassinations in Beirut and Tehran from escalating into a regional war.

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A White House statement noted that President Biden “affirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including affiliated groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.”

The statement further mentioned that “President Biden discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including ballistic missiles and drones, and highlighted the deployment of new American defensive military equipment to support Israel against threats such as missiles and drones.”

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In addition to this commitment to Israel’s defense, Biden emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region, according to the same statement, which noted that Kamala Harris, Biden’s Vice President and expected Democratic nominee for the next presidential election, joined the call between Biden and Netanyahu.