Biden's Diplomatic Push: Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal in Focus

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed advancing a potential Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. This follows Secretary of State Blinken's Mideast trip, while U.S. efforts seek to bridge gaps between Israel and Hamas. VP Kamala Harris is also involved, with further details forthcoming.

President Joe Biden engaged in a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss strategies to advance a Gaza ceasefire and a hostages deal, the White House announced. This development comes on the heels of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's intensive Middle East tour, which concluded without a truce agreement.

Blinken, along with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, is optimistic about a U.S. 'bridging proposal' designed to narrow the differences in the ongoing 10-month Gaza conflict. 'President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the ceasefire and hostage release deal, as well as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions,' read a statement from the White House.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, anticipated to accept the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday in Chicago, also participated in the call. Biden, on a family vacation in California's Santa Ynez Valley, was expected to press Netanyahu to modify Israel's request to maintain forces along the Egypt-Gaza corridor.

Securing a Gaza ceasefire deal remains a key objective for the Biden administration. A senior U.S. official described the negotiations as near completion but frustratingly elusive. Hamas demands a total Israeli pullback from Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow land stretch along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, while Israel aims to control the corridor, citing security concerns over weapon smuggling tunnels.

(With inputs from agencies.)