The US president said he had made it clear to PM Netanyahu that if Israeli military ‘go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons’

• See all our Middle East crisis coverage
• Analysis: Biden seeks to pull rank in US-Israel relationship – a trial of strength beckons

Israel’s national security minister presented himself before the television cameras to make a statement on Sunday, shortly after leaving a meeting with the country’s prime minister.

Invoking divine support, Itamar Ben-Gvir said he had “warned the prime minister that if God forbids it, Israel will not enter a ceasefire”. He said Benjamin Netanyahu “promised that Israel would enter Rafah, that the war would not end, and promised that there will be no irresponsible deal”.

Israel isn’t serious about reaching an agreement and it is using the negotiation as a cover to invade Rafah and occupy the crossing.