Washington, 24 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - US President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the military operation in the Gaza Strip, the White House announced on Saturday.

The leaders discussed the "objectives and phasing" of the Israeli military campaign, the White House said following the meeting.

The US government has been stressing the need for more targeted military activities by Israel in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the leadership of Hamas, which was responsible for the October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a few days ago that if this were to happen, the number of civilian casualties would also fall.

In the telephone conversation with Netanyahu, Biden emphasized that the civilian population including humanitarian volunteers must be protected at all costs, the White House said.

It was important to allow "civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting," the statement added.

The White House further said that Biden and Netanyahu had discussed the importance of securing the release of all remaining hostages.

Photo: MIA Archive