Biden Pushes for Gaza Ceasefire and Hostages Deal Amid Family Vacation

U.S. President Joe Biden plans to discuss maintaining a Gaza ceasefire and hostages deal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden's push follows U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's unsuccessful attempt at securing an agreement between Israel and Hamas during his Middle East visit. Key issues include control over the Philadelphi Corridor.

U.S. President Joe Biden is set to engage in a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss strategies for sustaining a potential Gaza ceasefire and hostages deal, according to a U.S. official. The planned call comes on the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's rapid tour of the Middle East, which concluded Tuesday without securing a truce between Israel and Hamas militants.

Blinken, along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, is banking on a U.S. 'bridging proposal' designed to close the gaps between the conflicting parties in the 10-month Gaza conflict. During the call, Biden is anticipated to urge Netanyahu to reconsider a new Israeli condition that demands the retention of forces along a land corridor between Egypt and Gaza, the U.S. official stated.

While enjoying a family vacation in California's Santa Ynez Valley, Biden is staying on an expansive 8,000-acre ranch. Concurrently, in Chicago, the Democrats are preparing to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's candidate for the upcoming presidential election on November 5. Achieving a Gaza ceasefire agreement remains a top priority for Biden. On Friday, a senior U.S. official hinted that the negotiations were nearing a resolution, although a final deal has proven to be frustratingly elusive.