By Cesar Reyes
May 6, 2024, 12:39 PM EDT
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuafter Israel’s order to evacuate 100,000 residents of the city of Rafah, south of Gaza, was announced, and where a ground offensive is expected in that area.
During the conversation, the president Biden reminded Netanyahu of the mediation efforts being made to reach an agreement on the release of hostages and reach a truce in the war with Hamas, in addition to reiterating its position against a possible Israeli incursion into Rafah.
“President Biden updated the Prime Minister on efforts to secure a hostage agreement, including through talks underway today in Doha, Qatar. 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”notes the White House.
The two leaders also discussed the shared commitment to remembering the Holocaust as one of the darkest chapters in human history during World War II and anti-Semitism.
“The President reaffirmed his message on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The two leaders discussed Israel and the United States’ shared commitment to remembering the six million Jews who were systematically attacked and murdered in the Holocaust., one of the darkest chapters in human history, and to act strongly against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred. fueled the violence,” reads a report released by Washington.
The phone call between both leaders comes on the same day that Biden plans a closed-door meeting at the White House with King Abdullah II of Jordanaccording to the official agenda.
The last telephone conversation between Biden and Netanyahu took place on April 4after the attack that killed seven volunteers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), the NGO founded by the Spanish chef José Andrés.
The United States has been acting as a mediator with Egypt and Qatar for months in negotiations between Israel and the Hamas group, although that dialogue is now at one of the worst points since the conflict worsened.
Keep reading:
– The House moved forward with aid measures for Ukraine and Israel thanks to Democratic legislators
– Israel’s attack on Iran: keys to the report and the G7 position
– The US vetoes the Palestinian attempt to achieve recognition as a State at the UN