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| Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden in Tel Aviv (archive from Reuters) |
Amid tensions between the two sides over Gaza and a pending deal with Hamas regarding prisoners and detainees, US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, For the second time Within a week.
The White House announced on Friday that a phone call between Biden and Netanyahu last night discussed the current status of the prisoner exchange deal negotiations.
The White House added in a statement that Biden and Netanyahu discussed the need to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Palestinian civilians.
He continued that Biden raised the situation in Rafah with Netanyahu, and reaffirmed his position that any military operation should not begin without a plan to ensure the safety of civilians.
Earlier, Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath correspondent reported that Netanyahu discussed, by telephone, the exchange deal and the war on the Gaza Strip with the US President, after the tension that prevailed in their last call.
During a 40-minute telephone conversation, the two men discussed the issue of Israel's plan to attack Rafah and the American demand to increase the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
The call came in the wake of talks that took place earlier today in Israel between Netanyahu and CIA Director William Burns, according to what the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported yesterday, Thursday.
The situation in Rafah
For its part, the Times of Israel quoted an official in Netanyahu's office as saying that during the call, they discussed the issue of detainees, the situation in Rafah, and the next stage in the fight against Hamas. They also discussed the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
From Rafah (AP)
Biden had stressed to the Israeli Prime Minister in a call on Sunday the necessity of having a credible and “executable” plan to ensure the security of the displaced in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip before carrying out a military operation there.
Urgent steps
The White House also added in a statement that Biden and Netanyahu called for urgent steps to increase the volume of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.
From Rafah (AP)
Biden called for the need to build on the progress achieved in the detainee exchange negotiations in Gaza.
Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath sources had indicated earlier Thursday that CIA Director William Burns had sent a veiled message to the Israeli Prime Minister stating that notMake a deal before Ramadan It will lead to unilateral steps by the Biden administration.
Hamas rejected an Israeli offer
The sources also reported that Hamas rejected an Israeli offer to release 1,500 prisoners, in exchange for all those detained by it.
The sources said that Hamas rejected an Israeli offer for a three-month ceasefire and the exit of its leaders from Gaza.
It is noteworthy that the last prisoner exchange agreement was held in late last November, which then led to the release of 105 Israeli prisoners who were detained by Hamas on October 7, in exchange for the release of approximately 300 Palestinian prisoners.
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