Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to dispatch a delegation of Israeli officials to Washington for discussions with Biden administration officials regarding a potential Rafah operation. This move comes as both sides aim to articulate their respective viewpoints, as stated by White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
The decision to engage in discussions regarding Rafah coincided with a conversation between Biden and Netanyahu on Monday, marking their first interaction in over a month. This communication gap has emerged amid escalating tensions between the allies concerning the food crisis in Gaza and Israel's actions during the conflict, as outlined by the White House.
The White House has expressed reservations about Netanyahu's proposal to undertake an operation in the southern city of Rafah, which currently provides shelter to approximately 1.5 million displaced Palestinians.
During the call, Biden again urged Netanyahu not to carry out an operation in Rafah, questioning the Israeli leader about establishing a “coherent and sustainable strategy’ to defeat Hamas.
Officials from the Biden administration have cautioned that they would not endorse any operation in Rafah unless Israeli authorities provide a credible plan to safeguard the well-being of innocent Palestinian civilians. As of now, White House officials assert that Israel has not put forth such a plan.
