Biden To Press Netanyahu For More Flexibility In Ceasefire Talks

Barak Ravid at Axios reporting that US President Joe Biden is expected to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this evening to, "urge him to show more flexibility so a hostage-release and ceasefire deal can be reached in Gaza."

• According to Ravid, Biden wants Netanyahu to soften his stance on this deploying IDF forces along the entire Philadelphia axis on the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas, a demand that was not part of the original three-phase proposal outlined by Biden on May 31.
• It is unclear the level of influence Biden holds over Netanyahu, or what levers the US would be prepared to pull to change Israel's position. So far, Washington has been reluctant to either withhold future defence contracts or place conditions on the use of US-supplied weapons beyond relatively limited restrictions on heavy bombs.
• Politico reported yesterday: "The deal to bring an end to the fighting in Gaza is on the brink of collapsing — and there is no clear immediate alternative agreement that could be put forward in its place, according to two U.S. and two Israeli officials."