On Wednesday Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said he expected the war to continue for the rest of 2024 at least.
In the United States, Israel’s main ally, the extent of civilian suffering in Gaza has put pressure on Biden, who hopes to win a second presidential term in the November election.
In his speech on Friday, Biden called on Israel’s leadership to resist pressure from those in the country who wanted the war to go on “indefinitely”.
Inside Israel, anger at the Oct 7 attack has generated widespread support for the war in Gaza, although there is also pressure on the governing coalition to bring back the remaining hostages.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Netanyahu to agree to a hostages and ceasefire deal, saying his party would support it even if ultranationalist factions in the governing religious-rightist coalition rebelled. Lapid’s pledge meant a deal would likely pass in parliament.
“The government of Israel cannot ignore President Biden’s consequential speech. There is a deal on the table and it should be made,” Lapid said in a social media post on Saturday.
