Israel to send delegation to Washington for Rafah operation talks at Biden's request

During a briefing, US President's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, announced that, in response to a request from Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu will dispatch a delegation to Washington in the upcoming days to discuss the outlook for the Rafah operation.

Sullivan also announced that Marwan Issa, one of the Hamas leaders in Gaza, had been killed by the IDF.

He emphasized that the United States supports Israel's fight against Hamas and its leaders, stating, "The terrorist leaders are likely hiding deep in the network of Hamas tunnels, but they will also face fair retribution. And we are assisting in making this happen."

During a phone call with Netanyahu, Joe Biden reiterated his concerns about the prospect of a major Israeli military operation in Rafah.

Sullivan highlighted the reasons for Biden's concerns, including the large number of refugees in the area and Egyptian apprehensions.

Sullivan clarified that the president dismissed claims that opposing the Rafah operation amounted to defending Hamas, dismissing such assertions as "nonsense."

He emphasized, "Our position is that Hamas should not seek sanctuary in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation would be a mistake."

Media reports indicate that the conversation between Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden, which occurred after a month-long break, lasted approximately an hour.