Biden warns Netanyahu against Rafah military operation

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the U.S. and Israel would have a comprehensive discussion on the way forward in Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that an Israeli military operation in Rafah would deepen anarchy in Gaza and they agreed that teams from each side would meet in Washington to discuss it, the White House said.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the two countries would have a comprehensive discussion on the way forward in Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is raging after six months of fighting.

The meeting could happen this week or next, Sullivan said, and no Rafah operation would proceed before the talks.

“Anarchy reigns in areas that Israel’s military has cleared, but not stabilized” in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis would deepen if Israel were to go ahead with an offensive in Rafah, Sullivan said, summarizing Biden’s message to Netanyahu.

“We’ve had many discussions in many different levels between our military, our intelligence, our diplomats or humanitarian experts, but we have not yet had the opportunity to have an all-encompassing comprehensive, integrated, strategic discussion…,” he said.

The two leaders have had increasingly tense relations over Gaza. Sullivan described the conversation as “businesslike” and said it did not end abruptly. Biden did not threaten to limit U.S. aid to Israel, he said.

Biden told Netanyahu that he needs a coherent strategy for Gaza, Sullivan said, “rather than Israel go smashing into Rafah.” He reiterated U.S. support for the Israeli effort to destroy Hamas militants who attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Sullivan also confirmed that Marwan Issa, the No.3 leader within Hamas’ ranks, was killed in an Israeli operation last week. Hamas has not commented.