President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Sunday morning about efforts to locate and secure the release of more than 220 Israeli hostages and to “significantly increase” the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“The President and Prime Minister discussed continued efforts to secure the discovery and release of hostages, including missing U.S. citizens held by Hamas,” according to a White House reading of the call.
Biden also “stressed the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza.”
The call comes as Israel begins a ground deployment to Gaza with the stated intention of expelling Hamas from the Gaza Strip and recovering hostages taken by Hamas on October 7.
As Israel continues its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, calls are growing around the world for humanitarian aid to reach its people quickly.
Biden also reiterated to Prime Minister Netanyahu his position that “Israel has every right and responsibility to protect its people from terrorism,” but in a way “consistent with international humanitarian law that prioritizes the protection of civilians.” emphasized the need to do so.
“The President and Prime Minister agreed to continue to consult regularly both directly and through their respective national security teams,” the statement said.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
