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Ammon News - President Joe Biden and occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House Thursday afternoon.

“We’re closer than we’ve ever been,” one senior administration official said. “It’s up to the Israelis to accept it.”

Biden’s in-person meeting with Netanyahu followed his speech to Congress on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the president stressed the need to finalize the deal as soon as possible, according to a readout from the White House.

“Biden expressed the need to close the remaining gaps, finalize the deal as soon as possible, bring the hostages home, and reach a durable end to the war in Gaza,” the readout said. “The President also raised the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the need to remove any obstacles to the flow of aid and restoring basic services for those in need, and the critical importance of protecting civilian lives during military operations.”

Biden also participated in a meeting with Netanyahu that included families of American hostages in Gaza - a separate setting where he could apply firm pressure on Netanyahu to finalize the ceasefire agreement.

“In this setting he will really be held accountable to his commitment of pursuing a ceasefire and hostage deal,” said one US official.

The in-person meeting at the White House was the first time the two men have met in person since Biden’s trip to Israel last year following the October 7 attack, although the two men have spoken frequently on the phone. It was followed by the meeting with American hostage families, and then Netanyahu met with Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden has endorsed to replace him on the top of the Democratic ticket.

In remarks to reporters following their meeting, Harris said that she told Netanyahu it is time to get a ceasefire deal “done,” adding that she “will not be silent” about the suffering in Gaza.

CNN