Biden Tells Netanyahu That His Stance on Rafah Invasion Remains Clear: White House

President Joe Biden speaks at Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Va., on April 22, 2024. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

President Joe Biden on Sunday held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing concerns over a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah.

President Biden reiterated his “ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security but maintained his “clear position” on Israel’s military operation in Rafah, according to a readout issued by the White House.

The readout did not elaborate on their discussions about Rafah. However, the Biden administration has said that it won’t support Israel’s operation in Rafah if there is no action plan in place to protect civilians there.

The two leaders discussed negotiations to secure the release of hostages in Gaza, including President Biden’s recent joint statement with leaders from 17 countries, urging Hamas to accept a deal offering a prolonged ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages.

They also discussed increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including “through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week.”

“The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations,” the White House stated.

‘Biggest Catastrophe in Palestinian People’s History’

This comes as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the United States to prevent its ally Israel from invading Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are seeking shelter.

“We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime,” he said at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

Mr. Abbas warned that Israel’s potential attack on Rafah “in the coming few days” could result in “the biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history.”

Israel has threatened for weeks to launch an all-out assault on Rafah and stepped up its airstrikes in the area, saying its goal is to destroy Hamas’ remaining battalions there.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States attempted to convince Israel that “there is a different way to go about dealing with the Hamas threat in Rafah and succeeding in ensuring the long-term defense and security of Israel.”

“What I can tell you is the U.S. position has been clear on this,” Mr. Sullivan told reporters on April 24. “We are still in those conversations, and we will still continue to press our perspective.”

Earlier this month, Mr. Sullivan convened the Strategic Consultative Group with top Israeli officials and expressed Washington’s concerns over the courses of action launched by Israel in Rafah.

Displaced Palestinians, who fled their homes due to Israeli strikes, shelter in a tent camp, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Dec. 31, 2023. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

A readout by the White House states that Israel “agreed to take these concerns into account and to have further follow up discussions between experts.” Both sides also agreed “on the shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah.”

Hamas terrorists killed about 1,200 people and abducted over 250 hostages during their Oct. 7 attack on Israel, triggering Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, which the Hamas-run health department said now has led to over 34,000 deaths.

More than 130 hostages are still held in Gaza as Washington works to arrange another pause in the fighting in exchange for their release after a seven-day ceasefire in November 2023.

Mr. Netanyahu last month told visiting U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken that there was no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah and “eliminating the remnant of the battalions there.”

“I told him that I hope we would do this with U.S. support, but if necessary, we will do it alone,” he said, adding that Israel will work towards a plan to evacuate civilians from the combat zones.

Top Israeli officials reportedly warned an Egyptian delegation during a meeting last week that this was their “last chance” to make a truce deal with Hamas before Israel launched an assault on Rafah.

An Israeli official told local media that “there are very serious intentions” from Israel to move ahead in Rafah. “This is the last chance before we go into Rafah,” the official was quoted as saying by Firstpost.

Reuters contributed to this report.