Wednesday, 15 January, 2025
US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House announced, as U.S. officials intensify efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and secure the release of hostages ahead of Biden's term ending on January 20.
In a statement following their phone call, the White House said Biden and Netanyahu discussed ongoing negotiations aimed at halting the conflict in the Palestinian enclave and ensuring the safe release of hostages still held there.
Biden emphasized “the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages,” highlighting that an agreement would facilitate a significant increase in humanitarian aid to the region by pausing the fighting, the statement added.
Netanyahu updated Biden on progress in the talks and on the mandate he has given his top-level security delegation now in Doha in order to advance a hostage deal, Netanyahu said in a statement.
The two leaders also discussed "the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran’s power in the region," the White House said.
Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" program earlier on Sunday that the parties were "very, very close" to reaching a deal, but still had to get it across the finish line.
He noted that President Biden receives daily updates on the ongoing negotiations in Doha, where Israeli and Palestinian officials have reported some progress in indirect talks between Israel and the militant group Hamas since Thursday.
“We are determined to make use of every single day remaining in this administration to achieve a resolution,” Sullivan said. “We are by no means, in any way, stepping back from this effort.”
Sullivan acknowledged the possibility of reaching an agreement before Biden leaves office but cautioned that “Hamas, in particular, may continue to be intransigent.”
During their conversation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to U.S. President Joe Biden for his lifelong commitment to Israel and for the United States' "extraordinary support for Israel’s security and national defense," the White House stated.
Israel’s assault on Gaza began after Hamas fighters launched a cross-border attack in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
In response, Gaza has faced devastating consequences. More than 46,000 people have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials, with large parts of the enclave reduced to rubble. The region remains engulfed in a severe humanitarian crisis, with most of its population displaced.
Vice President-elect JD Vance, in a pre-recorded interview for Fox News Sunday, suggested that a deal to release U.S. hostages in the Middle East could be finalized in the final days of the Biden administration, possibly in its last hours.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal ally of Israel, has endorsed Netanyahu’s objective
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US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House announced, as U.S. officials intensify efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and secure the release of hostages ahead of Biden's term ending on January 20.
In a statement following their phone call, the White House said Biden and Netanyahu discussed ongoing negotiations aimed at halting the conflict in the Palestinian enclave and ensuring the safe release of hostages still held there.
Biden emphasized “the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of the hostages,” highlighting that an agreement would facilitate a significant increase in humanitarian aid to the region by pausing the fighting, the statement added.
Netanyahu updated Biden on progress in the talks and on the mandate he has given his top-level security delegation now in Doha in order to advance a hostage deal, Netanyahu said in a statement.
The two leaders also discussed "the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran’s power in the region," the White House said.
Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" program earlier on Sunday that the parties were "very, very close" to reaching a deal, but still had to get it across the finish line.
He noted that President Biden receives daily updates on the ongoing negotiations in Doha, where Israeli and Palestinian officials have reported some progress in indirect talks between Israel and the militant group Hamas since Thursday.
“We are determined to make use of every single day remaining in this administration to achieve a resolution,” Sullivan said. “We are by no means, in any way, stepping back from this effort.”
Sullivan acknowledged the possibility of reaching an agreement before Biden leaves office but cautioned that “Hamas, in particular, may continue to be intransigent.”
During their conversation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to U.S. President Joe Biden for his lifelong commitment to Israel and for the United States' "extraordinary support for Israel’s security and national defense," the White House stated.
Israel’s assault on Gaza began after Hamas fighters launched a cross-border attack in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
In response, Gaza has faced devastating consequences. More than 46,000 people have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials, with large parts of the enclave reduced to rubble. The region remains engulfed in a severe humanitarian crisis, with most of its population displaced.
Vice President-elect JD Vance, in a pre-recorded interview for Fox News Sunday, suggested that a deal to release U.S. hostages in the Middle East could be finalized in the final days of the Biden administration, possibly in its last hours.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal ally of Israel, has endorsed Netanyahu’s objective
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