Gaza, MINA – US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday discussed the ongoing Gaza negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha.
“He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid made possible by the cessation of hostilities under the deal,” the White House said in a statement as quoted by Anadolu Agency.
In the phone call with Netanyahu, Biden also discussed regional developments, including the ceasefire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and Iran, it added.
Netanyahu, for his part, thanked Biden for his “lifelong” support of Israel and for the “tremendous” U.S. support for Israel’s national security and defense.
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Last week, Biden told reporters that “some progress” was being made in prisoner swap talks. The president said he hoped his administration could broker the deal before it expires on Jan. 20.
Prisoner swap and ceasefire talks, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., have been stalled several times over new conditions imposed by Netanyahu.
The Israeli opposition and families of prisoners accuse Netanyahu of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal with Hamas.
The Israeli army has continued its genocidal war in Gaza that has killed more than 46,500 people, most of them women and children, since October 7, 2023, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. (T/RE1/P2)
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