Biden, Netanyahu talk ahead of possible Rafah assault
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STORY: U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and “reiterated his clear position” on a possible invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah.
Israel’s military is poised to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah and assault Hamas hold-outs there, according to comments last week by a senior Israeli defense official.
The invasion would come despite international warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Washington has said it could not support a Rafah operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.
The White House in a statement also said that Biden and Netanyahu reviewed talks designed to secure the release of some of the Israeli hostages coupled with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation is set to visit Cairo on Monday for talks aimed at securing a ceasefire, according to a Hamas official.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also set to meet with regional partners this week on a trip to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.
His trip to the region comes after Reuters reported that some senior U.S. officials have questioned whether Israel is using U.S.-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law.
According to an internal State Department memo reviewed by Reuters, some top officials advised Blinken they do not find Israel’s assurances on the matter "credible or reliable". Other U.S. officials accepted Israel's assurances.
Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 whether he finds Israel's assurances credible that its use of U.S. weapons does not violate U.S. or international law.
