Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has reportedly reached out to the White House to request rescheduling a meeting regarding a potential Israeli operation in Rafah, which was canceled earlier this week. According to a US official, the sides are working on setting a new date for the meeting, which was supposed to include Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council chairman Tzachi Hanedgbi.
Netanyahu had earlier canceled the delegation’s trip to Washington in protest of the US decision to allow a UN Security Council vote calling for an immediate ceasefire and hostage release. The cancellation was framed as a message to Hamas that Israel would not yield to international pressure regarding the Gaza conflict.
While the US maintains that a Rafah offensive would not serve Israel’s war objectives and could lead to further civilian casualties and international isolation, discussions on the matter continue between Israeli and US officials. Netanyahu’s office, however, has not directly denied reports of talks to reschedule the delegation’s trip.
An Israeli official confirmed that discussions about rescheduling the trip are ongoing, with Dermer and Hanegbi expected to travel whenever the trip is finalized.
