U.S. Urges Israel to Halt Planned Gaza Ground Assault Amid Ongoing Airstrikes and Stalled Ceasefire Talks
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Biden urged Netanyahu to call off a planned Israeli ground assault on Rafah, Gaza's last refuge for over 1 million displaced Palestinians, but Netanyahu refused.
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The U.S. believes storming Rafah would be a mistake and that Israel can achieve its goals through other means. The countries will likely meet next week to discuss.
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A new U.S. diplomatic push aims for a Gaza ceasefire to address the humanitarian crisis and prevent famine. Blinken plans to meet Egypt and Saudi leaders.
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Israel continues airstrikes in Gaza, killing 14 in Rafah overnight. In total, nearly 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in the 6-month war.
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Ceasefire talks resume in Qatar but remain challenging. A truce could free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees and aid, but differences persist on broader issues.