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President Joe Biden has once again warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his continued opposition to a full-scale invasion of Rafah.
The Gazan border city remains the last refuge for many Palestinian civilians in an area that has been devastated by seven months of war.
According to the White House, Mr Biden “reiterated his clear position on Rafah” during a phone call with the longtime Israeli leader on Monday, less than a day after Israeli officials issued a warning calling on civilians to flee ahead of a long-planned ground offensive in the city.
The president and other top US officials have consistently warned Israel against a full-on ground invasion in Rafah. Experts say such an invasion would have a devastating effect on the humanitarian crisis that has taken hold in Gaza amid food shortages and the destruction of most medical facilities in the territory.
Mr Biden has pushed for weeks to have Israel limit its planned operations in Rafah and commit to protecting civilians. But Mr Netanyahu — who is currently on trial for corruption and, his critics say, hoping to remain in power in order to avoid consequences from a conviction — has defied the Democratic-led US administration and has made clear his plans to press ahead with the operation. Mr Netanyahu says he believes Rafah to be the last redoubt of the Hamas terrorists who carried out the 7 October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.
The call between the two leaders comes as talks over a potential ceasefire appeared to lose steam over the weekend, with both Israel and Hamas trading accusations of blame over the apparent impasse in negotiations.
The White House said Mr Biden also used the call to “update” the Israeli leader of the state of the talks, which are ongojng in the Qatari capital, Doha.
