CIA Chief Meets Netanyahu; Intensified Efforts to Prevent Full-Scale Israeli Attack on Rafah

Israeli media reported on Wednesday that William Burns, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), met and discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This comes as reports indicate that Washington has halted the shipment of certain powerful weapons to Israel in an action seen as opposition to a full-scale Israeli attack on Rafah. Israeli officials claim that the attack on Rafah is essential for the destruction of Hamas. 'The Times of Israel' reported, citing sources, that the meeting between Burns and Netanyahu took place at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem. The CIA chief, along with several other officials from different countries, is working to achieve a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. He had previously been in Cairo to follow up on ceasefire negotiations. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the ongoing war in Gaza has cooled Israeli business activities with the United Arab Emirates. Reuters states that the once-publicly encouraged bilateral business interactions between the UAE and Israel are now conducted away from public scrutiny due to Arab world anger over the Gaza war. Ten Israeli officials, executives, and entrepreneurs told Reuters that there has been no change in their business relations with this influential Gulf country, but they refrained from offering new contracts. The White House stated that the ongoing Israeli operations in Rafah are not a 'full-scale invasion' and that aid to Gaza has been halted following Israel's capture of the Rafah border crossing.