Amidst tensions, Biden's national security advisor talks with Netanyahu in Israel.
Amidst tensions, Biden's national security advisor talks with Netanyahu in Israel.
Michael Williams from CNN
CNN in Washington —
Over the next two days, top Israeli officials will meet with President Joe Biden's national security adviser as the White House presses Israel to be more exacting in its operations against Hamas in Gaza.
Jake Sullivan's visit coincides with a public divide between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Vice President Joe Biden on differing views on what the future of the Palestinian people should look like when combat operations conclude and the growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza. Sullivan will also talk about the initiatives being taken to free the eight American hostages who are still in the hands of Hamas.
Sullivan is meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday and Friday, in addition to Israeli President Isaac Herzog and senior military officials, as the White House presses Israel to tighten up its operations against Hamas in Gaza.
Israel's Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant, informed Sullivan during a meeting on Thursday that the conflict in Gaza will rage for "more than several months."
According to a transcript of the meeting made public by the Israeli Ministry of Defence on Thursday, Gallant declared, "We will win and we will destroy them (Hamas). It will require a period of time - it will last more than several months."
Gallant expressed gratitude to Sullivan for the US backing of Israel's Gaza assault, stating that "the US and Israel share common interests, common values, and we also share common goals in this war."
Sullivan's travel will involve "very serious conversations" with Israeli officials, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who made the announcement on Wednesday at a White House briefing. According to Kirby, Sullivan would talk with the Israelis on "efforts to be more surgical and precise and to reduce harm to civilians."
He will also talk on the release of the hostages that Hamas kidnapped. Among the more than 100 captives that Hamas has been holding since the organization's attack on Israel on October 7 are eight Americans. In the incident, almost 1,200 Israelis and foreigners lost their lives
The Israeli retaliation that followed resulted in more than 18,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 50,000 injuries, according to the Health Ministry, which is under the leadership of Hamas
On Wednesday, Biden had a meeting at the White House with the relatives of the eight American hostages.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Sullivan visited Saudi Arabia before coming to Israel in order to meet with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of that nation.
According to the person, he intended to talk about the larger diplomatic initiatives the Biden administration has been taking to uphold regional peace in Saudi Arabia. These initiatives include measures to prevent Houthi strikes in the Red Sea. Additionally, he made an effort to carry out the preparatory work that had been done in order to normalise relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, including efforts towards achieving peace with the Palestinians, prior to the assaults on October 7.
Kevin Liptak of CNN contributed to this article.
Source cnn.com
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