The visit, confirmed by a White House official Saturday, comes as Israel is setting up a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas and Netanyahu’s defense minister has said Israel would seize large areas of the territory and add them to its so-called security zones. Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in Gaza on Friday, a day after attacks killed at least 100 Palestinians.

Israel has pledged to escalate the war with Hamas until the militant group returns the hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel ended a ceasefire in March and has imposed a halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid.