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Amid Israel's urgent evacuation notice to residents of eastern Rafah, US President Joe Biden on Monday held a telephonic conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and latter assured the former to open the Karem Shalom crossing for the humanitarian assistance in Gaza, the White House said in an official statement.
The conversation between the two leaders coincided with Holocaust Remembrance Day in which the US President reiterated his stand on Israel's plan to launch a military operation in Rafah and updated the Israeli PM on efforts to secure a hostage deal. "President Biden spoke this morning with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The President reaffirmed his message on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The two leaders discussed the shared commitment of Israel and the United States to remember the six million Jews who were systematically targeted and murdered in the Holocaust, one of the darkest chapters in human history, and to forcefully act against antisemitism and all forms of hate-fueled violence," the statement read. "President Biden updated the Prime Minister on efforts to secure a hostage deal, including through ongoing talks today in Doha, Qatar. The Prime Minister agreed to ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance for those in need. The President reiterated his clear position on Rafah," the statement added. Earlier, Israel closed the major entry point for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza after a Palestinian armed group launched rockets at a military installation in southern Israel near the site, according to Al Jazeera. The Israeli military announced that it has closed the Karem Abu Salem gate, also known as the Kerem Shalom crossing, to aid convoys. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, claimed the attack targeted a group of Israeli forces near the border. According to a video released later, the rockets targeted Israeli military "command headquarters and mobilisations" at the border, "leaving soldiers dead and wounded," according to Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, Israel's military has issued an urgent evacuation notice to residents of eastern Rafah, following a warning from the country's defence minister of impending "intense action" in the area, CNN reported. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab media division of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, urged residents to "evacuate immediately" to designated humanitarian areas at the checkpoints for their safety. The call specifically targets individuals residing in the municipality of Al-Shawka and the neighbourhoods of Al-Salam, Al-Jneina, Tiba Zaraa, and Al-Bayouk in the Rafah area. (ANI)
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