U.S. President Joe Biden cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against proceeding with a military operation in Rafah without a plan to protect the roughly 1 million people taking shelter there, stating that it would be catastrophic, according to the White House. President Biden stressed the goal of defeating Hamas terrorists and ensuring Israel’s long-term security, and he urged specific steps to increase the consist and throughput of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The assault on Rafah could have catastrophic consequences given the absence of an obvious place for civilians to flee, which would lead to extensive casualties, according to aid agencies. As a result, President Biden firmly reiterated the notion that a military action in Rafah should not move forward without a credible and executable safety and support plan for the over one million people seeking shelter there.
The leaders also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages that were taken by Hamas during the group’s October 7 attack on Israel. They emphasized the importance of capitalizing on the progress made in negotiations to secure the release of all remaining hostages as soon as possible, as detailed by the White House. Biden and Netanyahu also agreed to remain in close contact.
The situation was exacerbated by conflicting exchanges between the two leaders. President Biden publically criticized the Israeli defense to Hamas, deeming it “over the top.” This led to a call between the leaders, in which it was reported that Netanyahu expressed dissatisfaction with the comments and denied any knowledge of what the U.S. president meant. The Israeli prime minister also addressed the issue of hostages in Gaza, stating that there were still enough hostages alive to warrant continued efforts. While Hamas has claimed that over 28,000 Palestinians have been killed, Israel has reported the death of 1,200 citizens and the capture of around 250 hostages.