cbs's erica brown joins us from the white house. it's clearly a short break for the president but no break for those at war this holiday, erica. >> reporter: good evening, jericka. and before he departed the president had a call with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu as the war with hamas remains one of his biggest challenges into 2024. >> how's the conversation go with prime minister netanyahu? >> i had a long talk with netanyahu today, and it was a private conversation. >> reporter: as he left the white house for the holidays, president biden told reporters he did not ask for a ceasefire in gaza during saturday's call with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. but as the global demand for a ceasefire grows, the white house says the president did emphasize the need to protect civilians in gaza as israel intensifies its offensive against hamas. this comes as the hamas-run gaza health ministry says more than 20,000 palestinians have died since the start of the war and more than 100 hostages captured in israel including e

cbs's erica brown joins us from the white house.t's clearly a short break for the president, but no break for those at war this holiday, erica. >> reporter: good evening, jericka. and before he departed the president had a call with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu as the war with hamas remains one of his biggest challenges into 2024. >> how'd the conversation go with prime minister netanyahu? >> i had a long talk with netanyahu today and it was a private conversation. >> reporter: as he left the white house for the holidays president biden told reporters he did not ask for a ceasefire in gaza during saturday's call with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. but as the global demand for a ceasefire grows the white house says the president did emphasize the need to protect civilians in gaza as israel intensifies its offensive against hamas. this comes as the hamas-run gaza health ministry says more than 20,000 palestinians have died since the start of the war and more than 100 hostages captured in israel including eight