The message sent by Biden to Netanyahu, before the expected offensive in Rafah and at a complicated moment in the negotiations

​The US president and Israeli prime minister spoke on Sunday at a complicated time in the Gaza conflict, with Israel preparing to storm the southern city of Rafah despite international concern for Palestinians sheltering there and negotiators pushing for to reach a compromise for the ceasefire and the release of the hostages, writes Reuters.

US President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and “reiterated his clear position” on a possible invasion of Rafah in Gaza, the White House announced.

Washington has repeatedly stated that it cannot sustain an operation in Rafah without an adequate and credible humanitarian plan.

Speaking earlier, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Israel had agreed to listen to US concerns and thoughts before launching an invasion.

Biden and Netanyahu last spoke on April 13, after Iran launched its unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel. And this time, the leader of the White House assured the prime minister of the support of the USA.

“The president reaffirmed his strong commitment to Israel’s security,” a White House statement said.

According to the same source, the two leaders discussed the status of negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages still held in Gaza after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

They also discussed stepping up aid deliveries, including preparations to open new crossings into Gaza.

Complicated Israel-Hamas negotiations

A day before the two leaders’ talk, a senior Qatari official, a key mediator in the negotiations, urged Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and more seriousness” in the negotiations.

The comments made by Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari in interviews with the liberal daily Haaretz and Israeli public broadcaster Kan were published late Saturday.

Qatar, which is home to Hamas’ headquarters in Doha, helped, along with the US and Egypt, negotiate a brief ceasefire in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages. But in a sign of frustration, Qatar said this month it was reassessing its role as a negotiator.

Al-Ansari expressed his disappointment with Hamas and Israel, saying that each side made decisions based on political interests and not with the welfare of civilians in mind. He did not reveal details of the talks, saying only that they had “effectively stalled” with “both sides stuck in their positions”.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for diplomatic talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, but also to discuss ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian assistance for Gaza.

An Israeli delegation is also expected in Egypt in the coming days to discuss the latest proposals in the negotiations, and a senior Hamas official, Basem Naim, said in a message to The Associated Press that a delegation from the group would head , also to Cairo.

Egyptian officials have stepped up efforts to mediate talks between Hamas and Israel after a new proposal would initially allow the release of a small number of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for allowing Palestinians in the territory to return to their homes.

An Egyptian official told The Associated Press that mediators are working on a compromise solution that addresses the main concerns of both sides, intended to pave the way for further negotiations to end the war completely.

In recent days, Hamas has released new clips of three hostages, an apparent ploy to persuade Israel to make concessions.