WASHINGTON, Oct 17: President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday in a high-stakes visit to demonstrate his “steadfast support” for the Jewish state following Hamas’ attack, as the US intensified diplomatic efforts to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip.
“On Wednesday, I’ll travel to Israel to stand in solidarity in the face of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack. I’ll then travel to Jordan to address dire humanitarian needs, meet with leaders, and make clear that Hamas does not stand for Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” Biden said in a post on X.
Ahead of Biden’s arrival in the region, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organisations to reach civilians in Gaza, including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Monday night that President Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to “demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel in the face of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack and to consult on next steps.”
Biden will then travel to Amman where he will meet with King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
“He will reiterate that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination and discuss the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza,” Jean-Pierre said.
On Monday, the US president spoke over the phone with his Egyptian counterpart El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani of Iraq during which they talked about the situation in the region.
In the call, Biden and El-Sisi discussed ongoing efforts to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in coordination with the United Nations (UN), Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and other regional partners, and the need to preserve stability in the Middle East more broadly.
“Biden condemned Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and reiterated that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination. The two leaders agreed to continue their close coordination to prevent the conflict from widening and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need,” said a readout of the call.
In Biden’s call with Prime Minister Al-Sudani of Iraq, they discussed ongoing efforts to prevent an expansion of the conflict in Gaza in the wake of Hamas’ abhorrent attack in Israel.
“The two leaders discussed the importance of addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in coordination with the UN and regional partners,” said a readout of the call.
Biden and Al-Sudani also affirmed the importance of the bilateral partnership between Iraq and the US as outlined in the Strategic Framework Agreement between our two countries. They finally committed to regular coordination between their teams to advance shared objectives and preserve regional stability over the coming weeks, the readout said.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to continue discussions on Israel’s operations to restore security following the Hamas attack. The Secretary reiterated the US’ commitment to continue expediting security assistance and preventing conflict escalation, a media release said.
Austin emphasised civilian safety and thanked the Gallant for efforts to restore safe drinking water access in Gaza, it said.
In the morning, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed by their national security team on the latest updates in the wake of Hamas’ abhorrent attack in Israel and the resulting conflict in Gaza.
Chief of Staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing led by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Bill Burns, the White House said.
Late last week, Israel issued an ultimatum that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza, approximately 1.1 million people, should relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours.
The situation is rapidly deteriorating with each passing hour as Gaza runs out of food, water, fuel and essential supplies.
Gaza has been under full electricity blackout for the sixth consecutive day.
“Hospitals are on the brink of collapse as their fuel reserves used to operate backup generators have been almost totally depleted, endangering the lives of thousands of patients,” According to an update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Since the start of hostilities, as many as 2,778 Palestinians have been killed and 9,938 have been injured.
According to official Israeli sources, at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, and at least 4,121 have been injured, the vast majority on October 7. (PTI)
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