JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Thursday.
'The leaders will discuss developments in Gaza and progress towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal and the United States' ironclad commitment to Israel's security, including countering Iran's threats to Israel and the broader region,' the White House said in a press release ahead of the meeting.
A senior Biden administration official said at a news conference that negotiations on the ceasefire and hostage release deal is 'in the closing stages and it's reaching a point that we believe a deal is closable and it's time to move to close that agreement.'
The Gaza humanitarian situation, Lebanon and West Bank also will be discussed.
This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Biden visited Israel shortly after the October 7 terrorist attack.
Following the leaders' meeting, they will meet together with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, will meet separately with Netanyahu on Thursday.
Biden returned to the White House Wednesday after he tested negative for Covid.
He was functioning from his Delaware residence after testing positive for Covid last week. It was from his residence that Biden announced his decision to quit the presidential race.
On Wednesday night, Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office explaining his decision to withdraw.
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