The White House issues a statement on US President Joe Biden’s phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the two discussed hostage negotiations, humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the prospect of an Israeli operation in Rafah.
“The president reaffirmed his commitment to working tirelessly to support the release of all hostages as soon as possible, recognizing their appalling situation after 132 days in Hamas captivity,” the readout says.
“The president and the prime minister also discussed the situation in Gaza, and the urgency of ensuring that humanitarian assistance is able to get to Palestinian civilians in desperate need,” it adds.
On Rafah, the statement says Biden “reiterated his view that a military operation should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the civilians in Rafah.”
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From the Liveblog of
Friday, February 16, 2024
