Leaders Netanyahu and Biden Convene for Talks on Peaceful Resolution of Conflict in Gaza

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is set to meet with US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday to discuss a potential ceasefire in the conflict that has been ongoing for nine months. This discussion will take place at the White House amidst significant political turmoil within the United States. Netanyahu is facing domestic pressure, as over 120 individuals are still being held captive following Hamas's attack back on October 7th.

The upcoming dialogue between these two long-standing allies will occur during a time of unprecedented political tension in the United States and amidst calls for Netanyahu to commit at least to part one of a three-part deal that involves releasing some hostages in return for a temporary cessation of fighting. Although a framework agreement has been reached, administration officials highlighted there are still crucial implementation challenges yet to be resolved.

More than 39,000 Palestinian civilians have lost their lives due to the conflict thus far, and international concerns about war crimes involving Netanyahu persist despite the US's non-recognition of the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction over him.

Kamala Harris will engage with Netanyahu in a separate discussion as she begins an ambitious bid for a presidential run against Donald Trump come November. As part of this, her role as negotiator is being tested amidst one of the world’s most challenging conflicts. Her strong stance on ceasefire and concern for Palestinian civilians' plight may potentially win back some voters from within the Democratic party who felt that the Biden administration hasn't done enough to end the conflict or restrict arms sales to Israel.

During her tenure, Harris has been a part of the Senate presiding officer and did not attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday. She released a careful statement indicating her absence was not meant as a boycott but rather an intentional decision for other reasons. However, she later expressed firm disapproval over acts by pro-Palestine protesters against the Prime Minister's speech in Washington DC, stating that such actions are unpatriotic and dangerous.

Netanyahu will also meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Friday. The relationship between Netanyahu and Trump has been strained since Netanyahu congratulated Biden for winning the 2020 presidential election, a claim made by Trump without evidence to support it.

During an address to Congress last Wednesday, Netanyahu promised "total victory" in the conflict but did not offer specifics about hostage rescue efforts and avoided discussing ceasefires or negotiations with Hamas throughout his speech. Despite a large turnout for both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups on Capitol Hill, only half of congressional Democrats attended Netanyahu's address.

The dialogue between the US President and Prime Minister remains uncertain due to Biden's recent decision to end his presidential campaign, which might influence the level of leverage he can exert over Israel in these negotiations. The senior administration official emphasized that while a basic structure for the deal is in place, there are still significant issues needing resolution before any final agreement could be reached.