Washington ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama and his administration `` strongly condemn the outrageous and deplorable violence that 's taken place on the streets of Cairo today '' and want it to end quickly , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday . Supporters of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attacked anti-government demonstrators in Cairo 's Tahrir Square , and the ensuing violence killed three people and injured more than 600 , according to Egypt 's health minister . `` It is our hope that what we saw today we wo n't see tomorrow or Friday or into the weekend , '' Gibbs told reporters . `` Obviously ... this is not all going to be wrapped up in a matter of hours . It 's going to take some time . '' Gibbs reiterated the Obama administration 's opposition to any violence in the Egypt demonstrations , either by Egyptian security forces , protesters or criminal elements . He added that if the Egyptian government is instigating any of the violence , `` it should stop immediately . '' At the State Department , spokesman P.J . Crowley called the attacks by what he described as `` thugs '' a clear attempt to intimidate the anti-government protesters , who were demonstrating for a ninth straight day . The United States does n't know the identity of the `` thugs , '' Crowley said , adding that others have identified them as `` supporters of the government . '' In an operation that started Monday , more than 1,900 U.S. citizens and their family members have been evacuated from Egypt , Crowley said , adding that further evacuations would take place Thursday . The attacks came the day after Mubarak announced he would not seek re-election as part of a series of political reforms . Opposition activists and protesters , however , said Mubarak must step down immediately with a caretaker unity government running the country until elections for president and a new parliament can take place . It was unclear whether such confrontations were being repeated elsewhere . Other Cairo neighborhoods were calm , and contesting rallies in Egypt 's second largest city , Alexandria , were largely peaceful . Gibbs said the time for a political transition in Egypt `` is now '' because the Egyptian people `` need to see change , '' and a `` meaningful transition must include opposition voices and parties being involved in this process as we move toward free and fair elections . '' At the same time , Gibbs noted that events in Egypt `` have moved enormously quickly in a very volatile region of the world , '' adding : `` What we 're watching is history being made . '' High-level contacts between the U.S. and Egyptian governments continued Wednesday , with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talking to newly appointed Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman , Crowley said . And Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke by phone with Egypt 's defense minister on Wednesday , their third conversation in recent days . Those contacts followed separate meetings on Monday between former U.S. ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner , who traveled to Cairo to deliver a message on behalf of Obama , with Mubarak and Suleiman , according to Crowley . A senior State Department official said on condition of not being identified that Mubarak has `` a narrow amount of time '' to make changes or take steps , with more demonstrations planned for Friday . However , the official said `` there is a sentiment in the ( Egyptian ) government they can outlive the protesters . '' `` This is a false assumption , '' the official said . `` They are not going away . '' Meanwhile , a senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of not being identified expressed concern that Mubarak loyalists might have unleashed pro-Mubarak forces to intimidate protesters . The Obama administration believes Mubarak 's inner circle is debating whether Mubarak needs to do more to meet protester demands , according to the senior U.S. official . However , an Egyptian government official said on condition of not being identified that his government has a `` serious problem '' with how the Obama administration has been `` spinning '' the events to give the impression that Mubarak 's statement Tuesday night resulted from pressure from Obama . `` This is Mubarak 's decision , '' the Egyptian official said . `` Clearly , yes , he has been listening to the messages coming from the administration ... but at the end of the day , this is a decision he had come to on his own in the interests of Egypt , first and foremost , and as he said , as a result of listening very carefully to the demands of the Egyptian people . '' The Egyptian official said his government has rejected calls by Obama and other world leaders to begin the transition now . `` This is an Egyptian process , '' the official said . `` What President Mubarak said is that his primary responsibility is to ensure security and order so as to ensure a peaceful transfer of power so that the Egyptian people may decide their next leader in the upcoming presidential elections . '' The official noted that the steps announced by Mubarak included the resignation of the government , formation of a new cabinet , appointment of Suleiman as vice president , announcing he will not run again , planned changes to the constitution , opening a dialogue with the opposition and various issues involving last year 's parliamentary elections . CNN 's Jill Dougherty , Elise Labott , Chris Lawrence and Tom Cohen contributed to this story .
U.S. officials stop short of blaming Egyptian government for attacks on protesters . Gibbs : Change in U.S. has to begin now . A U.S. source says Hillary Clinton might try to wait out the protesters . more than 600 Egypt citizens and family members have been evacuated .