Get Gaza ceasefire deal done, Kamala Harris tells Netanyahu

Negotiations on ceasefire and hostage release 'in closing stages', White House says

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US Vice President Kamala Harris struck a tough tone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, telling him it was time he agreed to a ceasefire deal and provided relief to the Palestinian people.

Ms Harris said she told Mr Netanyahu of her "serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians".

"And I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there," she said in a televised address after she and President Joe Biden met the Israeli Prime Minister at the White House.

Ms Harris is the presumed Democratic nominee to run against Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November presidential election after Mr Biden stepped aside last Sunday.

"It is time to get this deal done," Ms Harris said of the ceasefire deal currently being negotiated. "We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent."

Ms Harris's policy on Gaza is unlikely to shift in terms of US support for Israel, but her tone had a more resolute edge to it than anything Mr Biden has said about the plight of the Palestinians since October 7.

"It is time for this war to end," she said.

Ms Harris has been more outspoken on Gaza in the past and there has been speculation that she could adopt a tougher approach on Israel.

Officials deny there is any "daylight" between her and Mr Biden.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby earlier said of Mr Biden: "There's no reason to suspect that his decision not to run for re-election is going to have an impact on our ability to get the deal done."

Mr Kirby added that "we need to get there soon".

After their Oval Office meeting, Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu met family members of American-Israeli hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas and its allies.

The relatives told told reporters they had been assured that a truce proposal should be released to the public soon, and that they are "optimistic".

On Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu addressed a special joint session of Congress, as thousands of protesters gathered outside the Capitol to call for a ceasefire and the end of US aid to Israel.

“For the forces of civilisation to triumph, America and Israel must stand together,” he told the gathered politicians.

The National Security Council said on Wednesday that negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release are “in the closing stages and a deal is closeable”.

Mr Netanyahu has slowed ceasefire negotiations and on Wednesday rebuffed pressure to agree to a deal, saying: “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza, and bring all our hostages home."

A senior Biden administration official said “reachable” gaps remain about the first phase of the agreement and the transition to the second phase.

“There are some things we need from Hamas, and there are some things we need from the Israeli side,” the official said, refusing to estimate how long the negotiations would continue. “There's really no time to lose.”

Gaza health authorities say more than 39,100 people have been killed in the enclave since the war began.

The war started on October 7, when Hamas and allies killed about 1,200 people and abducted about 240 during attacks on southern Israeli communities.

About 130 hostages are still held in Gaza, although many of them are believed to have died. More than 100 have been released since October 7.

“We got an absolute commitment from the Biden administration and from Prime Minister Netanyahu that they understand the urgency of this moment now to waste no time and to complete this deal as it currently stands, with as little change as humanly possible," a hostage family member said on Thursday.

“We feel more optimistic than we have since the first round of releases."

The group of family members also said that Mr Biden's decision not to run for re-election helps him to have freedom to be "laser-focused" on ensuring the release of hostages.

Mr Netanyahu is also due to meet Mr Trump at his Florida residence and Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday.