Biden asks Netanyahu to finalize Gaza deal

US President Joe Biden has emphasized the need to close remaining gaps and finalize a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Joe Biden met with Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and called on the Israeli leader to swiftly finalize the deal on a Gaza ceasefire.

During the meeting at the presidential mansion, the two leaders discussed developments in Gaza and ongoing negotiations on the cease-fire and hostage release deal in detail, it said in a statement.

Biden “also raised the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the need to remove any obstacles to the flow of aid and restoring basic services for those in need, and the critical importance of protecting civilian lives during military operations,” it added.

“President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis,” said the statement.

The White House visit is Netanyahu's first since Biden assumed office in 2021 amid repeated rifts between the allies. But international pressure for a cease-fire to end the bloodshed and destruction in Gaza has continued to mount as the death toll rapidly approaches 40,000.