WASHINGTON: The United States (US) President Joe Biden has not been briefed on Israel’s plan for a military offensive in Rafah near the Egyptian border but believes civilian life must be protected, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program on Sunday.
“We do not believe that an operation, a major military operation, should proceed in Rafah unless there is a clear and executable plan to protect those civilians, to get them to safety and to feed, clothe and house them,” Sullivan said.
Israel-Hamas Talks for Gaza Truce
Earlier, Jake Sullivan told CNN that representatives from Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar convened in Paris, where they reached a preliminary understanding on the fundamental aspects of a hostage release arrangement linked with a temporary ceasefire. However, Sullivan emphasized that detailed negotiations are still ongoing to finalize the terms of the agreement.
Sullivan stated, “Representatives of Israel, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar met in Paris and came to an understanding among the four of them about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for a temporary ceasefire would look like.”
Efforts to secure a ceasefire and negotiate the release of hostages have now shifted to Doha, where talks resumed between the aforementioned countries along with representatives from Hamas, as reported by state-linked Egyptian media on Sunday.
