President Joe Biden engaged in a crucial conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning, as the situation in Rafah intensifies and ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel edge closer to a potential agreement. Shortly after their call, Hamas announced its acceptance of an Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire proposal, though Israel has yet to comment on the plan.
The White House provided a readout of the call, indicating that Biden updated Netanyahu on efforts to secure a hostage deal, including ongoing talks in Doha, Qatar. The readout stated, “The Prime Minister agreed to ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance for those in need. The President reiterated his clear position on Rafah.”
The two leaders also discussed Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah, which took place on Monday. They emphasized their shared commitment to remembering the six million Jews who were systematically targeted and murdered during the Holocaust and to forcefully act against antisemitism and all forms of hate-fueled violence.
Before the call, a National Security Council spokesperson mentioned that the discussion would touch on possible military action in Rafah. The spokesperson stated, “We have made our views clear on a major ground invasion of Rafah to the Israeli government, and the President will speak with the Prime Minister today. We continue to believe that a hostage deal is the best way to preserve the lives of the hostages and avoid an invasion of Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering. Those talks are ongoing now.”
Over the weekend, ceasefire talks did not yield any significant breakthroughs. CIA Director William Burns was expected to travel to Israel on Monday for additional negotiations after participating in discussions in Doha on Sunday. Burns met with Qatar’s prime minister to explore ways to bring the talks back on track after they stalled in Cairo. The Israeli prime minister’s office blamed Hamas for not moving from its extreme demands that no Israeli government could accept.
Pressure has been mounting for a long-term ceasefire as Israel signals a potential ground assault in Rafah. Overnight, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dropped flyers on eastern Rafah, urging people to move to humanitarian areas. The IDF estimated that 100,000 people from that area were told to evacuate.
Biden and his administration have warned Israel against launching a military offensive in Rafah. Last week, the White House halted a large shipment of offensive weapons to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs and other ammunition that would likely be used in Rafah. While Israel already has a substantial arsenal, this shipment could have been very helpful in an offensive.
A statement from a group representing families of hostages held in Gaza urged Netanyahu to ignore political pressure from far-right members of his government and make a deal with Hamas. The Hostage Families Forum headquarters stated, “This is the time to lead, show courage, and bring about the return of all 132 being held by the terrorist monsters of Hamas — the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial.”
President Biden, in a call on Thursday, told Netanyahu that “it is time to close” a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza. Biden has been pushing for a deal for months, and White House officials want to take advantage of Hamas’ positive response to the latest proposal to close the remaining gaps and reach an agreement. An agreement to release hostages held in Gaza, including U.S. citizens, and lead to a ceasefire would be a significant foreign policy accomplishment for Biden.
Hamas’ response to the latest Israeli proposal represents major progress and opens the door to more detailed negotiations that could result in a deal. Netanyahu approved sending Israeli negotiators for detailed negotiations, and Biden welcomed this decision. A senior White House official expressed optimism, stating that Hamas’ response “moves the process forward” and provides a basis for reaching an agreement.
The latest proposal, approved by Israel’s war cabinet, includes a three-phase deal that would lead to the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas and to “sustainable calm” in Gaza. The first phase focuses on humanitarian cases and includes a 42-day ceasefire in return for the release of women, female soldiers, men over the age of 50, and men in critical medical condition held by Hamas. In return, Israel would release about 900 Palestinian prisoners, including more than 150 serving life sentences for killing Israelis.
Israeli officials said Hamas’ response makes it possible to reach an agreement on Articles 8 and 14, the main gaps between the parties. Hamas agreed to replace a contentious word in Article 8, allowing ambiguity for both parties in negotiations. Hamas also wants to change the language in Article 14 to ensure a commitment from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to continue negotiations until an agreement is reached.
Mossad director David Barnea is expected to travel to Doha with an Israeli delegation to continue negotiations. The main point is that Hamas’ response includes flexibility, allowing the parties to enter the first stage of the deal while taking the risk that the next stages may not materialize.
President Biden also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II over lunch at the White House to discuss the state of negotiations. The U.S. and Egypt, along with Qatar, have been working for weeks to shore up a new ceasefire and hostage release deal, with talks continuing in Doha.
The Biden administration emphasized the need to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Netanyahu agreed to ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance. Biden also marked Yom HaShoah on the call, pledging to act against antisemitism.
Biden reiterated his opposition to an invasion of Rafah, emphasizing the need to protect the more than one million civilians sheltering there. The White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, claimed the Israeli government assured Washington that it would consider U.S. views before launching an offensive.
Health officials in Gaza reported that Israeli airstrikes on three houses in Rafah killed 13 people and wounded many others. Biden and Netanyahu reviewed the state of hostage negotiations ahead of a new round of talks in Cairo. Qatar, which hosts Hamas’s headquarters in Doha, has been instrumental in negotiating brief halts to the fighting.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, arrived in Saudi Arabia for diplomatic talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to discuss ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian assistance to Gaza. An Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt to discuss the latest proposals, and a senior Hamas official said a delegation from the group would also head to Cairo.
Egyptian officials are working on a compromise solution to address both parties’ main concerns, setting the stage for further negotiations to end the war. A letter from Biden and 17 other world leaders urged Hamas to release the hostages immediately. Hamas has released new videos of hostages, pushing for Israeli concessions.
Biden and Netanyahu also discussed increasing the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Gaza, including preparations to open new northern crossings. Biden stressed that progress in aid entering Gaza must be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations.
Source: NBC News, Axios, The Guardian, Associated Press
