Biden to speak with Israel's Netanyahu, US official says

U.S. President Joe Biden will speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, a U.S. official said, adding that talks for a hostage deal were ongoing and seen as the best way to avoid an invasion of Rafah.

A spokesperson for the National Security Council said the White House cannot speak for Israeli forces, but "we have made our views clear on a major ground invasion of Rafah to the Israeli government," amid ongoing fears are growing of a full-blown assault.