Biden speaks to Netanyahu amid ceasefire talks and Rafah evacuation

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning as a potential ground attack on Rafah loomed and as negotiations on a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel stalled.

A readout of the White House call said Biden updated Netanyahu “on efforts to secure a hostage agreement,” including through talks that took place on Monday in the Qatari capital, Doha.

“The Prime Minister agreed to ensure that the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance to those in need. The President reiterated his clear position on Rafah,” the White House said.

The two leaders discussed Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah, which falls on Monday, the reading said.

Biden and Netanyahu “discussed the shared commitment of Israel and the United States to remember the six million Jews who were systematically targeted and murdered in the Holocaust, one of the darkest chapters in human history, and to act forcefully against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred.” fueled violence”, said the reading.

Before the call, a spokesman for the National Security Council said it would address possible military action in Rafah.

“We cannot talk about IDF operations,” the spokesperson said. “We have made our views on a major ground invasion from Rafah clear to the Israeli government, and the president will speak to the prime minister today. We continue to believe that a hostage agreement is the best way to preserve the lives of the hostages and prevent an invasion of Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering. These negotiations are ongoing now.”

The appeal came at a time when ceasefire negotiations over the weekend appeared to have failed to produce any progress. CIA Director William Burns was expected to travel to Israel on Monday for additional talks after participating in discussions on Sunday in the Qatari capital, Doha, a source with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.

He traveled to Doha for an emergency meeting with Qatar’s prime minister to explore avenues to see if talks could be resumed after negotiations stalled in Cairo. The Israeli prime minister’s office blamed Hamas for “not moving one millimeter away from its extreme demands that no government in Israel can accept.”

Pressure has been mounting for a long-term ceasefire as Israel takes steps that signal a ground attack on Rafah may be imminent. During the night, leaflets were dropped in eastern Rafah, calling on people to move to humanitarian areas, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The IDF estimated on Sunday that 100,000 people from that area had been told to evacuate.

Biden and his administration have warned Israel against launching a military offensive in Rafah.

Biden and Netanyahu’s appeal also fell on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. A statement from a group representing the families of hostages detained in Gaza urged the Israeli prime minister to ignore any political pressure from far-right members of his government, urging him not to make a deal with Hamas.

“Today, on the eve of Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day, we want to remind you, as you have promised every year: ‘Never Again.’ You must disregard all political pressure,” said a statement from the Hostage Families Forum headquarters.

“This is the time to lead, show courage and bring about the return of all 132 detained by Hamas terrorist monsters – those alive for rehabilitation and those murdered for burial,” he said. “Mr. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, history will not forgive you if you miss this opportunity, as the return of the hostages is a necessary condition for healing, redemption and national rebirth.”