Biden speaks with Netanyahu on status of ceasefire agreement as talks stall

President Joe Biden on Wednesday spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ongoing effort to secure a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas this week.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Middle East this week to oversee the negotiations, but no agreement had been reached as of Wednesday night, despite Israel's acceptance of the latest proposal from the United States.

Biden made the call from California, where he is on vacation, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who recently became the Democratic nominee for president, also joined the call.

One area of contention is the future of the Philadelphi corridor in Gaza, according to The Hill. The Biden administration has reportedly pushed Israel to be more flexible on the security arrangements in the corridor, which is an important component of Hamas's weapons smuggling operations. 

"The agreement is very clear on the schedule and the locations of [Israeli military] withdrawals from Gaza, and Israel has agreed to that," Blinken said Tuesday night in Qatar. "I can just speak to what I heard from [Netanyahu] directly [on Monday] when we spent three hours together, including Israel’s endorsement of the bridging proposal and thus the — the detailed plan."

Israel has destroyed at least 150 tunnels in the Philadelphi corridor and in the Gazan city of Rafah, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 

The Biden administration is hoping the ceasefire agreement will be finalized by the end of the week. The agreement, which includes prisoner swaps on both sides, would help decrease tensions in the Middle East.

CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to continue the negotiations later this week in Cairo, according to CNN.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.