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By Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week at the White House during his U.S. visit, an aide to Harris said on Monday.
Harris will be unable to preside over Netanyahu's planned address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday because she is traveling to Indianapolis that day for a previously-scheduled event, her aide added.
Netanyahu's address will be presided over by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin in Harris' absence.
Harris' meeting with Netanyahu is separate from his expected meeting with Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden who stepped aside as candidate for the 2024 elections and endorsed Harris, her aide said. Biden is recovering from COVID.
Politico reported that Netanyahu also requested an in-person meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump but the former president has yet to agree.
Harris' aide reiterated her support for Israel and said she will express concerns to Netanyahu over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel's assault has killed over 39,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, flattened nearly the entire enclave, caused a hunger crisis and displaced almost the entire 2.3 million population.
Israel's assault followed an Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas that killed 1,200 with about 250 people taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Harris will discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire deal, the aide added.
Biden in late May detailed a proposal of three phases for a ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the rebuilding of the coastal enclave. Ceasefire efforts have been ongoing.
Washington has faced criticism and protests both domestically and internationally from human rights advocates over support for Israel. The International Criminal Court prosecutor's office recently requested an arrest warrant against Netanyahu over alleged war crimes. Israel also faces genocide allegations that it denies.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese and Stephen Coates)
