TEHRAN, Jul. 26 (MNA) – The US President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ongoing negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the White House press service said in a statement.

The document says the US and Israeli leaders discussed developments in Gaza and the ongoing negotiations on the ceasefire and captive release deal in detail.

President Biden expressed the need to close the remaining gaps, finalize the deal as soon as possible, bring the captives home, and reach a durable end to the war in Gaza, the White House said.

He also raised the issue of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stressing the need to remove any obstacles to the flow of aid to the Palestinian enclave, and noting the critical importance of protecting civilian lives during the military operation.

Netanyahu travelled to the US capital on July 22 and addressed the US Congress on July 24. On Thursday, he met with US Vice President Kamala Harris. Former US President Donald Trump said he would meet with Netanyahu in Florida on July 26.

On May 31, US President Joe Biden announced his three-phase Israel-Palestine ceasefire plan, with each phase lasting six weeks. The first stage envisages a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated localities in Gaza and the release of captives held by Hamas in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Apart from that, the parties are supposed to begin talks during this stage, with the ceasefire staying in place until they reach an agreement. Phase two provides for the release of all surviving captives, including the military. The third stage will see the beginning of the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip.

MA/PR