Biden held talks with Egypt, Qatar leaders over war
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Following Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in July, Iran vowed to retaliate against "Israel's" violations.
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A plaque depicting the White House is posted behind a podium in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Washington. (AP)
White House National Security Council Spokesman Sean Savett announced on Thursday that US President Joe Biden held discussions with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about initiatives to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and work towards finalizing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
"President Biden spoke with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and separately spoke with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt to discuss diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tension and to bring the ceasefire and hostage release deal to a conclusion," Savett said in a readout of the two phone calls.
In a separate statement, the White House mentioned that President Biden expressed his thanks to President el-Sisi and Sheikh Tamim for their leadership in the negotiations.
He further stressed the necessity of finalizing the process and agreed to maintain close coordination in the upcoming days.
Read more: 'Israel' may be pushing limits because it feels weak: Foreign Affairs
Following Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in July, Iran vowed to retaliate against "Israel's" violations.
On the other hand, the assassination of Hezbollah commander Hajj Mohsein has sparked further escalations.
Multiple US officials told CNN earlier in the day that they expect Iran to retaliate in the coming days, perhaps within the next few hours.
However, they struggle "to gauge when the response will come and what form it will take."
When Iran initiated a retaliatory attack in April, both Egypt and Jordan participated in efforts to protect the occupied territories' airspace.
Read more: 'Israel' only repelled Iran attack with help from US, Arab states: WSJ
