Biden set to visit Israel following Hamas attacks

US President Joe Biden is set to visit Israel on Wednesday in a show of solidarity following recent attacks by Hamas, announced Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken mentioned that Israel had agreed to collaborate on providing civilian aid to Gaza. The announcement came after an eight-hour meeting between Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the defense ministry, marking Blinken’s second visit since the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Blinken emphasized the United States’ strong support for Israel’s security and its right to defend its people from Hamas and other terrorist threats. He stated that during the visit, Biden would listen to Israel’s needs to ensure its people’s protection while coordinating with Congress to meet those requirements.

President Biden’s itinerary includes visits to Tel Aviv and Jordan, where he will meet with King Abdullah II, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Blinken mentioned securing Israel’s commitment to facilitate foreign aid into Gaza, which is under Hamas control, and revealed plans for humanitarian aid coordination with the involvement of a new US coordinator, David Satterfield.

Biden aims to gather insights from Israel on minimizing civilian casualties during operations and facilitating humanitarian assistance to Gaza without benefiting Hamas. Both the US and Israel are working on a plan to allow humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach Gaza’s civilians effectively, while also considering the creation of safe areas to protect civilians. Blinken warned against potential obstacles to aid delivery caused by Hamas and assured condemnation and prevention of any hindrances to humanitarian aid reaching Gaza’s civilians.