WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak by phone Thursday, a U.S. official with knowledge of the call said.
This will be their first direct communication since then seven aid workers He was killed as a result of Israel’s strikes on Gaza this week.
The debate comes after Biden on Tuesday delivered some of his harshest criticisms Israel since its inception War with HamasThe World Center Kitchen said it was “outraged and heartbroken” by the deaths of aid workers killed in Israeli airstrikes on Monday.
“Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver much-needed aid to civilians,” Biden said. statement Tuesday.
Netanyahu He wrote in X Israel on Tuesday “deeply regrets” the deaths of the workers, adding that the country is “fully committed to allowing humanitarian aid to reach the civilian population in Gaza, and we will do everything in our power to prevent such tragedies from happening in Azerbaijan in the future.”
Biden and Netanyahu he last spoke on March 18.
During that call, the White House said Biden warned the Israeli leader against a planned military operation in Rafah and invited Netanyahu to send a high-level interagency team to Washington.
Netanyahu canceled high-profile The visit of the delegation to Washington may be postponed for the coming days. A version of the meeting took place virtually on Monday.
Separately, Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz on Wednesday called for early elections in September.
The Israeli government said that about 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attack by Hamas. About 240 Israelis were also abducted, and Israel said more than 100 were still in custody. pledge In Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 32,900 people have died in Gaza since the war began.
Monica Alba reported from Washington, DC and Zoe Richards reported from New York.