Biden and Bibi at Odds Over Fighting ‘Pause’

“Publicly united on the need to expunge Hamas from Gaza, President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear starkly at odds on two major questions about the war: Whether and how to pause Israel’s attacks for humanitarian reasons and who will run the besieged territory if and when the fighting stops,” the Washington Post reports.

“The short-term question is whether Israel might hold off for a short period to facilitate the arrival of much-needed aid in Gaza and, if Hamas agrees, secure the release of some of the scores of hostages it and other extremist groups seized on Oct. 7.”

“The long-term question is who will take over governing Gaza — meeting the daily needs of its 2.3 million people, preserving Israeli security and overseeing a reconstruction effort — if Israel accomplishes its stated goal of eradicating Hamas.”

New York Times: Blinken says Gaza and West Bank must be “unified” under Palestinian Authority.