Biden vows to end Gaza war, bring hostages home before he leaves office
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President Biden at the White House earlier this month. Photo: Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Biden pledged to spend his remaining six months in office trying to end the Israel-Hamas war and bringing home the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Why it matters: Biden, who called in to Vice President Kamala Harris' first meeting with her campaign staff, will meet later this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the efforts to reach a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
Details: Biden said he is going to continue working with the Israelis and the Palestinians to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza.
- "We are on the verge of getting that," he said.
- In a meeting with hostages' families in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Netanyahu said "the conditions for a hostage deal are ripening," according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
The big picture: Netanyahu arrived in D.C. on Monday afternoon. One of his aides told reporters that he is not going to meet with Biden on Tuesday, as the Israeli prime minister had thought.
- U.S. officials said a date for the meeting hadn't been finalized because of Biden's COVID symptoms, but a U.S. official said Monday evening that the president was scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday.
- Harris is also expected to meet with Netanyahu separately from Biden later this week, according to an aide to the vice president.
- Netanyahu will speak in front of a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
- The aide said Harris is traveling to Indianapolis on Wednesday for a previously scheduled event and will be unable to preside over Netanyahu's planned address to a joint session of Congress.
What they're saying: "Throughout her career, the vice president has had an unwavering commitment to the security of Israel. That remains true today," Harris' aide said.
- He said Harris' meeting with Netanyahu "will continue her intensive engagement on the conflict in Gaza."
- Harris will underscore her commitment to ensure Israel can defend itself from threats from Iran and Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hizbullah and Hamas, the aide said.
- He added Harris will also condemn again Hamas' brutal terrorist attack on Oct. 7 and its horrific sexual violence. "She will reiterate her deep concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the loss of innocent life," the aide said.
- "We anticipate the vice president will convey her view that it is time for the war to end in a way where Israel is secure, all hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can enjoy their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination," he added.
- "And they will discuss efforts to reach agreement on the ceasefire deal."
Go deeper: Biden tells Netanyahu: It's "time to close" Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal
Editor's note: This article has been updated to with comment from the Israeli prime minister's office and to reflect that a U.S. official said President Biden's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now been scheduled for Thursday.
