According to a White House statement, President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed ongoing negotiations in Qatar regarding efforts to advance a ceasefire and release hostages. Mr. Biden emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and increased humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Mr. Netanyahu updated Mr. Biden on the progress of negotiations and the task that the Israeli prime minister assigned to the Israeli delegation when they arrived in Doha (Qatar) to reach a consensus on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas forces in Gaza.

Among the members of the Israeli delegation are Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, Israeli Army Hostage Affairs Officer Nitzan Alon and Netanyahu’s political adviser Ophir Falk. According to The Times of Israel, the dispatch of these high-ranking figures is a sign that the negotiations are in a very serious stage.

The Biden administration is reportedly working in its final days to get Israel and Hamas to sign a ceasefire agreement, which has gone through multiple failed discussions. Ahead of the phone call between the two US and Israeli leaders, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on January 12 that the parties were “very close” to an agreement, but still needed to get it to the finish line.

“We remain determined to use every day we are in office to accomplish this goal and we will not set it aside,” Mr. Sullivan said.

In addition to Gaza, Biden and Netanyahu discussed fundamental changes in the Middle East landscape following the ceasefire in Lebanon, the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran's influence in the region.