1 of 2 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and U.S. President Joe Biden (L) spoke Thursday on ongoing efforts to finalize a potential cease-fire deal linked with the release of hostages as Israel and Hamas appeared to be close to a long-sought breakthrough in negotiations. File Pool Photo by Miriam Alster/UPI | License Photo
July 4 (UPI) — President Joe Biden conferred with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday to discuss new developments on a possible hostage and Gaza cease-fire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The White House also said Biden and Netanyahu agreed that U.S. and Israeli national security teams would meet on July 15.
Vice President Kamala Harris was reportedly on the call as well.
The two leaders touched on ongoing efforts to finalize a potential cease-fire deal linked with the release of hostages as Israel Hamas appear to be at a “pretty significant opening” for a possible deal, an Israeli source told CNN.
The broadcaster also reported that Netanyahu had plans for a late night cabinet meeting.
A U.S. source told the Jerusalem Post there has been a breakthrough on what had been a critical sticking point in reaching an agreement on Biden’s proposed deal, which was endorsed last month by the United Nations Security Council.
“The framework of the deal is now fully consistent with the President’s speech and the U.N. Security Council resolution,” the official told the Post.
The United States has asked Qatar and Egypt to pressure Hamas into accepting the revised deal. Hostage talks are expected to be held in Doha, Qatar’s capital, starting as early as Friday and will last for several days, Israeli officials said.
The Biden administration last month proposed new language for parts of the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas after negotiations stalled.
This comes as the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims more than 38,000 Palestinians have died and more than 87,000 injured since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
During their Thursday conversation, Biden and Netanyahu discussed Hamas’ response to the revised proposal, the White House said, emphasizing Biden “welcomed” Netanyahu’s decision to authorize Israeli officials to engage with Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators in the effort to close out negotiations.
Biden also “reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security” in the face of new and escalating threats from Iranian-backed terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah located primarily in Lebanon.
The U.S. recently deployed an amphibious assault ship to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, intended to act as a military deterrent in a show of force as tensions mount along the border with Lebanon to Israel’s north.
The vessel arrived the same day Hezbollah fired at least 200 rockets into northern Israel. One Israeli soldier was reported killed in the Golan Heights in what appeared to be a tit-for-tat escalation following Wednesday’s killing of high-ranking Hezbollah leader Muhammad Nimah Nasser during Israeli military airstrikes in the coastal city of Tyre.
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