Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden spoke on Wednesday to discuss the ceasefire negotiations [Getty]
US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday amid ongoing negotiations between mediators to bring Israel’s war on Gaza to a halt, as the premier refuses to budge on one key demand to half the fighting.
The conversation comes as the US finally admitted that ceasefire talks were not going to plan, with accusations that Netanyahu is not interested in peace with Hamas and is focused on the occupation of Gaza.
Israel is also reportedly demanding the continued occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor, running between Gaza and Egypt, which Israel seized control of at the end of May, an outcome Cairo has ruled out.
“Today I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding U.S. efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats from Iran and its proxy terrorist groups. I again made clear that we must bring the ceasefire and hostage release deal to closure and discussed upcoming talks in Cairo to remove any remaining obstacles,” Biden said on X after the conversation.
Prior to the call, an Axios report cited an unnamed source saying that Biden was expected to push Netanyahu over his stance on the Philadelphi Corridor.
Secretary of State has reportedly put forward the proposal of an international peacekeeping force controlling the border area, but Cairo appears to be unwilling to see any changes to the Camp David Accords.
Despite Washington’s earlier insistence that Israel has accepted the latest ceasefire proposal, Netanyahu has demanded Israeli occupation of the border area — a demand discussed by Egypt and US negotiators on Sunday and Monday.
Egypt rejected the demand, while US State Department later pushed back at suggestions by Netanyahu that Blinken had been convinced to back the idea.
Blinken also told reporters on Doha on Tuesday that the US does not back a ground occupation of any part of the Gaza Strip by Israel.
In discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Blinken said that an international force should take control of the crossing — a proposal that was poorly received by the Egyptians, The New Arab‘s Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.
Abdullah Al-Ashaal, a former Egyptian diplomat, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed: “It’s impossible for any peacekeeping forces to enter the Gaza Strip because neither the Palestinian resistance nor Egypt accept that.”
After the Biden-Netanyahu call on Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that the Israeli leader offered to make concessions on the Philadelphi Corridor. However, Israeli media reported on Thursday that Netanyahu remains committed to controlling the border region, citing government officials.
A source who spoke to Israel’s Ynet news did not deny that concessions were offered, but suggested they were related to other matters. Israel’s cabinet is set to meet on Thursday to discuss the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Egyptian officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Hamas will not agree to the bridging proposal meant to close gaps in the ceasefire talks. The Palestinian group is wary over whether a deal would truly remove Israeli forces from Gaza and end the war.
One Egyptian official, with direct knowledge of the negotiations, said the bridging proposal requires the implementation of the deal’s first phase, which has Hamas releasing the most vulnerable civilian hostages. Parties during the first phase would negotiate the second and third phases with no “guarantees” to Hamas from Israel or mediators.
“The Americans are offering promises, not guarantees,” the official said. “Hamas won’t accept this, because it virtually means Hamas will release the civilian hostages in return for a six-week pause of fighting with no guarantees for a negotiated permanent ceasefire.”
Amid the talks, Israel has continued and expanded its assault on Gaza, forcibly displacing thousands from the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah on Wednesday.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed 40,265 Palestinians and wounded 93,144 in Gaza since October, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
