US Vice-President Kamala Harris – who’s expected to be the Democratic nominee for November’s presidential election – has held what she called “frank and constructive” talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. <\/p>\n Striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden, Ms Harris said she made clear her “serious concerns” about casualties in Gaza, telling Mr Netanyahu how Israel defended itself mattered. <\/p>\n “It is time for this war to end,” she said after their face-to-face talks at the White House.<\/p>\n Ms Harris also stressed the need for a path to a two-state solution, while calling on Americans to be aware of “nuance” on the conflict. <\/p>\n Earlier on Thursday, Mr Netanyahu met Mr Biden, who stepped down from his re-election campaign on Sunday. <\/p>\n Mr Netanyahu’s meetings at the White House came a day after he gave a fiery speech to Congress, vowing \u201ctotal victory\u201d against Hamas, as thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside.<\/p>\n The prime minister faces pressure both at home and abroad to bring an end to the Israel-Gaza war, now in its ninth month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mr Biden’s staunch support of Israel has infuriated many left-wing activists, whose support the Democrats may need if they are to win November’s presidential election.<\/p>\n Given that, there is also considerable interest in the position Ms Harris might take towards Israel should she replace Mr Biden in the White House.<\/p>\n After meeting Mr Netanyahu for about 40 minutes, Ms Harris said she had an “unwavering commitment” to Israel and its right to defend itself. <\/p>\n She noted the conflict began on 7 October when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 captives, according to Israeli tallies. <\/p>\n Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 people.<\/p>\n “Israel has a right to defend itself. And how it does so matters,” Ms Harris said, expressing concern about the “dire humanitarian situation” in Gaza. <\/p>\n “We cannot allow ourselves to be numb to the suffering and I will not be silent,” she said. <\/p>\n “Let’s get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war,” she added. “Let’s bring the hostages home, and let’s bring much-needed relief to the Palestinian people.” <\/p>\n Mr Netanyahu is due to meet Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n As he met Mr Biden <\/b>earlier, the prime minister said he had known him for 40 years – and that the US president had known every Israeli premier over the last half a century.<\/p>\n “From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel,” he said.<\/p>\n Mr Netanyahu also said he looked forward to working with Mr Biden “on the great issues before us” over the next several months. <\/p>\n The US president joked that Golda Meir was the first Israeli prime minister that he had met, and that Yitzhak Rabin, a successor, was there as an assistant.<\/p>\n At a news briefing, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu had discussed the urgent need for a hostage release deal, the potential of conflict spilling over into Lebanon, the threat of Iran and the need to reach “compromises” in peace talks. <\/p>\n While Mr Kirby added that “gaps remain” in the US-Israel relationship, it was still “healthy”.<\/p>\n “By healthy, I mean they’re not going to agree on everything,” Mr Kirby said, adding that Mr Biden was “very comfortable with the relationship he has with the prime minister”. <\/p>\n The US and Israeli leaders also held a closed-door meeting with the families of seven US citizens still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. <\/p>\n Following the meeting, Jonathan Dekel-Chen – whose son Sagui was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October – told reporters that the meeting was “productive and honest”. He did not provide further details.<\/p>\n “We feel probably more optimistic than we have since the first round of releases in late November, early December,” he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Brandon](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/9794\/live\/f6b420f0-4a94-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp\")
Brandon Drenon\/BBC News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n