President Joe Biden had an important phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. They talked about stopping the fighting in Gaza and getting the people held hostage there back home safely.
Biden told Netanyahu that it was very important to stop the fighting right away. He also said they needed to get help to the people who are suffering in Gaza. Netanyahu told Biden about the talks happening to free the hostages.
The two leaders also talked about how the situation in the Middle East is changing. For example, they mentioned that the fighting in Lebanon is now over, the government in Syria has fallen, and Iran’s power in the area is getting weaker.
Biden’s team said that both sides were close to reaching an agreement, but they still needed to work out the final details. Biden wants to make sure everything is settled before he leaves office in January 2024.
The situation started back in October 2023, when a group called Hamas attacked Israel, killing many people and taking hostages. Since then, a lot of people have died in Gaza, and many have lost their homes.
Biden and Netanyahu also talked about the U.S. supporting Israel’s safety and security. Netanyahu thanked Biden for always helping Israel.
Finally, Biden’s team hopes they can reach an agreement soon, but they warned that it might not happen if one side doesn’t agree.
