(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden again urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah without a plan to protect civilians, in the latest US effort to head off a humanitarian catastrophe as Israel prepares for an attack.
In a call on Thursday, 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,” the White House said in a statement.
The US as well as nations from Europe and the Mideast to Australia have expressed concern about the pending operation, warning that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled Israel's bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip earlier in the conflict would be trapped. Netanyahu has pledged to allow civilians out of Rafah beforehand.
Read More: US Will Face Repercussions From Gaza Even If It Avoids Wider War
At the same time, Biden administration officials have grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu's government and the way his forces have conducted their campaign against Hamas since the group carried out an assault on Israel on Oct. 7.
Hamas, which is labeled a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union, killed some 1,200 people and captured 240 more in that attack. Israel's military campaign in response has killed more than 28,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Separately, the White House is working on a plan with Egypt and Qatar to secure a cease-fire and the return of about 100 hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group. Netanyahu, though, has played down the chances of agreement.
“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 White House readout said.
The Washington Post also reported that the Biden administration and a small group of Middle East partners are working to complete a plan for long-term peace between Israel and the Palestinians, including a firm timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In an apparent response to that report, the Israeli prime minister released a late-night post on social-media site X.
Netanyahu said that at a Cabinet meeting, “I clarified my position regarding the recent talk of imposing a Palestinian state on Israel.”
Israel “rejects international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” he said, adding that any such agreement would require direct negotiations between the parties. Making such a deal after Hamas' October attack “would give a huge reward to unprecedented terrorism and prevent any future peace settlement.”
Israel this week decided against sending a delegation back to talks in Cairo to discuss a potential ceasefire after representatives had attended an earlier meeting, with Netanyahu characterizing Hamas' demands — including the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza — as “delusional.”
(Adds additional details from the call and context throughout.)
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