Biden speaks with Netanyahu as Israelis appear closer to Rafah offensive
Biden speaks with Netanyahu as Israelis appear closer to Rafah offensive
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken by phone, a White House official said, as Israel appeared closer to launching an offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
A National Security Council spokesperson said Mr Biden reiterated US concerns about an invasion of Rafah — where more than a million civilians from other parts of Gaza are sheltering after seven months of war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel — and said he believes a ceasefire with Hamas is the best way to protect the lives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The call came hours before Mr Biden is to host King Abdullah II of Jordan for a private lunch meeting at the White House.
On Sunday, Mr Netanyahu rejected international pressure to halt the war in Gaza in a fiery speech marking the country’s annual Holocaust memorial day, declaring: “If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone.
“I say to the leaders of the world: no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself. Never again is now.”
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