US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House announced, as American officials push to finalize a Gaza hostage and ceasefire agreement before Biden leaves office on January 20.
The White House stated that Biden and Netanyahu discussed ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages. During the phone call, Biden emphasized “the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages, along with a surge in humanitarian aid facilitated by a cessation of fighting under the agreement,” according to the statement.
Netanyahu, in his own statement, provided Biden with updates on the negotiations and the mandate given to his high-level security delegation currently in Doha to advance the hostage deal.
The two leaders also touched on “the fundamentally altered regional dynamics following the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, and the diminished influence of Iran in the region,” the White House added.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that the parties were “very, very close” to reaching an agreement but still faced hurdles to finalize it. He noted that Biden was receiving daily updates on the Doha talks, where Israeli and Palestinian representatives have indicated progress in indirect negotiations with Hamas since Thursday.
“We remain determined to use every day we have in office to achieve this,” Sullivan said. “We are not, under any circumstances, abandoning this effort.” He cautioned, however, that Hamas might continue to resist reaching a final deal.
During the call, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Biden for his unwavering support of Israel, highlighting “the exceptional support from the United States for Israel’s security and defense,” according to the White House.
Israel launched its military operation in Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas fighters in October 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were taken, based on Israeli reports.
Since the start of the conflict, over 46,000 people have died in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials. The region has suffered massive destruction, a severe humanitarian crisis, and large-scale displacement of its population.
In an interview aired on “Fox News Sunday,” Vice President-elect JD Vance said he expects a deal for the release of U.S. hostages in the Middle East to be finalized in the final days of the Biden administration, potentially in its last moments.
President-elect Donald Trump, a strong supporter of Israel, has backed Netanyahu’s goal of dismantling Hamas. While Trump has promised to bring peace to the Middle East, he has yet to detail his approach.
