After blunt assessment of Gaza 'catastrophe,' VP Harris to meet Israel's Gantz

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and other top U.S. officials in Washington on Monday as the White House ramps up pressure on Israel to protect civilians in Gaza during its war with Hamas.

Gantz, a political rival to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will also meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk on Monday and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, according to a statement by his office.

Harris and Gantz will discuss increasing aid to Gaza, where Palestinian authorities say over 30,000 have been killed under a months-long assault by Israel in retaliation for the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, and the United Nations says many are on the brink of starvation. They will also discuss a hostage deal and temporary ceasefire, a White House official said.

The meeting comes as President Joe Biden and his administration face increasing pressure from his Democratic Party to back a permanent ceasefire, and push ally and military aid recipient Israel to reduce the loss of civilian life in Gaza and allow aid to flow through in greater amounts.