Biden tells Israel's Netanyahu he must protect safety of refugees in Rafah

US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday that Israel should not proceed with a military operation in Rafah without a plan to ensure the safety of the roughly one million people sheltering there, the White House said.

Biden's call with Netanyahu came days after the US leader told reporters that Israel's response in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza was "over the top".

The call also focused on ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas in its 7 October attack on Israel, the White House said.

Aid agencies have said that an assault on Rafah would be catastrophic.