U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the urgent need to finalize a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, according to the White House. Biden pointed to upcoming talks in Cairo as crucial for resolving remaining obstacles. This conversation followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent Middle East trip, which ended without a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Negotiators plan to meet in Cairo in the coming days to continue discussions. The White House stated that Biden discussed U.S. efforts to support Israel against threats from Iran and its proxy groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Iran has vowed retaliation for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, which it attributed to Israel, though Israel has not confirmed its involvement.
In response to regional tensions, the U.S. has deployed a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and accelerated the deployment of the Abraham Lincoln strike group to bolster Israel's defense.
Blinken and mediators from Egypt and Qatar are focusing on a U.S. "bridging proposal" to narrow gaps between the sides in the ongoing 10-month Gaza conflict. The White House earlier stated that Biden's call with Netanyahu included discussions on de-escalating regional tensions and advancing the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Vice President Kamala Harris also participated in the call.
Biden, currently vacationing in California, was expected to urge Netanyahu to reconsider a new Israeli demand to maintain forces along a land corridor between Egypt and Gaza. However, Netanyahu's office denied reports that Israel had agreed to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, a 14.5-km stretch along Gaza's southern border with Egypt. Securing a Gaza ceasefire is a top priority for Biden, though a final agreement remains elusive, with Hamas demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the corridor, while Israel seeks to retain control after destroying tunnels used to smuggle weapons into Gaza.