Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst.

President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin at Nahu today,

and the White House says they talked about diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire and get

hostages out of Gaza.

Empiers Michelle Kellerman reports Secretary of State Anthony Lincoln is on his way to

the region to follow up.

Lincoln's latest trip to the region takes him to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel.

He'll be meeting with Arab officials in Riyadh, and the State Department says he'll talk about

the efforts to achieve a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

The U.S. says it's Hamas that is, quote, standing between the Palestinian people and a ceasefire.

Hamas released two hostage videos in the past week,

raising public pressure on Israel's government

to reach a deal.

Israel is also stepping up the pressure, preparing for a ground invasion of

Rafa, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering. The U.S. has been trying to talk

Israel out of that.

Michelle Kellerman and PR News Tel Aviv.

Protests in support of Palestinians in Gaza

continue at college campuses around the country,

calling on the US to end its support for Israel.

This despite hundreds of arrests this weekend.

In California, two opposing rallies took place today at the same time on the campus of UCLA.

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