The White House has announced that President Joe Biden emphasized the urgent need for a Gaza ceasefire and a deal on hostage releases in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the call on Wednesday, which also included Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden highlighted the necessity of overcoming “any remaining obstacles” to reaching an agreement with Hamas. He also reiterated the United States’ commitment to defending Israel against “all threats from Iran, including its proxy groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis,” according to the White House.
The call followed a diplomatic tour of the Middle East by the U.S. Secretary of State, who has been advocating for an agreement to end the conflict.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office reaffirmed that Israel intends to maintain a military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land on the Gaza-Egypt border, as part of any ceasefire agreement.
“Israel will insist on achieving all of its war objectives as outlined by the security cabinet, including ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a security threat to Israel. This necessitates securing the southern border,” the statement read.
This stance has become a major sticking point in negotiations, with Hamas demanding a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Egypt has also opposed the presence of Israeli troops on its border with Gaza.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Israel had agreed to a “U.S. bridging proposal” after a lengthy meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Blinken did not confirm whether the U.S. proposal included the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor. However, Netanyahu’s continued insistence on this plan has reportedly caused frustration in Washington.
A U.S. official criticized Netanyahu for making “maximalist statements” that are “not helpful in finalizing a ceasefire agreement.”
Ceasefire talks are set to resume in Cairo this weekend, with representatives from the U.S., Israel, Egypt, and Qatar expected to attend.
While Hamas has not officially confirmed their attendance, it is believed they are receiving updates through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. A member of Hamas’s political bureau told the BBC that the group had “already agreed to a deal through mediators on July 2” and does not see the need for further negotiations or discussions on Netanyahu’s new demands.
“We have shown maximum flexibility and positivity,” said Basem Naim, accusing Netanyahu of seeking to escalate tensions for his own political gain rather than striving for a ceasefire.
