The mounting pressure President Joe Biden faces to do more to end the fighting in Gaza was on full display as he hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Monday as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its fifth month. 

The two leaders who stood side-by-side in the White House’s Cross Hall to deliver joint remarks, both referred to one another as a “friend.” At the same time, their differences, however subtle, on a potential cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and an expected Israeli group operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah were crystal clear. 

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Monday, with the two leaders standing side-by-side to deliver joint remarks
  • It comes as the U.S. is in the thick of trying to shore up a fresh pause in fighting that would facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas
  • Biden said key elements of the potential hostage deal are there, but gaps remain 
  • Abdullah’s White House also visit comes just weeks after three U.S. service members were killed in a drone attack in Jordan carried out, according to the U.S., by Iranian-backed militias
  • The two leaders also discussed Israel's expected ground operations in Rafah, humanitarian aid and the future of the region 

While Biden appeared to walk the line on a cease-fire, for instance, calling for a longer pause in fighting as part of a hostage deal that could “lead to something more enduring,” Abdullah was more straightforward.

“We cannot stand by and let this continue,” the Jordanian leader said. “We need a lasting cease-fire now. This war must end.” 

It comes as the U.S. is in the thick of trying to shore up a fresh pause in fighting that would facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas. Biden on Monday said that while “key elements” of the deal – which would include a temporary cease-fire of “at least six weeks” – are on the table, “gaps remain” in finalizing an agreement.

The president noted there are 134 people still being held captive, although it is unclear how many of them are still alive. 

Last week, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken made his fifth trip to the Middle East since the start of the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a response from Hamas on a potential deal drawn-up by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar. 

Blinken said while the Hamas response included some “non-starters,” the U.S.. still believed there was “space” for an agreement to come together. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. president and Jordan’s king also diverged on Israel’s expected ground operations in Rafah – a southern Gazan city civilians were told to evacuate to that is currently sheltering more than 1 million people. 

Biden on Monday reiterated what the White House said he told Netanyahu during the pair’s phone call on Sunday: the military operation in the city “should not proceed without a credible plan, a credible plan, for ensuring the safety and support” of Palestinians taking shelter. 

“They are packed into Rafah, exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected,” Biden said on Monday. Abdullah, on the other hand, drew a harder line. 

“We cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah. It is certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe,” he said. 

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby on Monday made clear that the U.S. still supports Israel continuing operations against Hamas’ “leadership and infrastructure,” including in Rafah. 

“We never said that they can't go into Rafah to remove Hamas. Hamas remains a viable threat to the Israeli people,” Kirby told reporters at Monday’s White House press briefing

“What we’ve said is we don't believe that it's advisable to go in in a major way in Rafah without a proper, executable, effective, and credible plan for the safety of the more than a million Palestinians that are taking refuge in Rafah,” he added. 

Asked by a reporter earlier on Monday as welcomed Abdullah to the White House whether Netanyahu takes his advice, Biden replied with a grin, “Everybody does,” in what appeared to be a joke. 

The U.S. president has been under immense pressure on the world stage and from some at home over his continued support for Israel as the Palestinian civilian death toll has risen. 

In a notable comment last week, Biden said he believed Israel’s response in Gaza has been “over the top.” 

Abdullah’s White House also visit comes just weeks after three U.S. service members were killed in a drone attack in Jordan carried out, according to the U.S., by Iranian-backed militias. In response, the U.S. conducted its own strikes on Iranian-proxies in Iraq and Syria – adding a new layer to the goal the U.S. has expressed about keeping the war from spreading. 

Biden on Monday said he was grateful for the U.S.-Jordan “bond” during this time, adding “our response will continue.” 

Both leaders talked about the importance and necessity of a two-state solution – something Netanyahu has said he opposes.