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☆ Middle East still in turmoil after Biden's Israel visit with Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —President Joe Biden left for home after seven hours in the Israeli war zone with an increasingly tense Middle East in worse shape than when he arrived. Still, given the huge political investment of American prestige and leverage involved in a sudden presidential trip, it’s fair to raise the question of what exactly Biden’s trip delivered. Biden’s speech to the Israeli people, however, was an eloquent statement of support to an ally traumatized by a terror attack. Ivo Daalder, a former US ambassador to NATO, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Biden’s visit had been worthwhile in demonstrating that Israel was not alone. Biden’s presence bolstered the message sent by two aircraft carrier battle groups he has deployed to the area.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, movingly, ”, Israel –, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, ’, Israel’s, Israel “, ” Biden, “, “ they’ll, Sisi, ” Mark Regev, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ivo Daalder, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Israel, Daalder, Netanyahu, ” Daalder Organizations: CNN, Air Force, Israel, Palestinian, West Bank, US State Department, United, Islamic Jihad, US Defense Department, National Security Council, Jihad, White, NATO, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, Amman, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, United States, Washington, Egypt, “ Israel, America

In video clips verified by The New York Times, scores of Palestinian bodies were filmed strewn across the courtyard of the Ahli Arab Hospital, some bloodied, charred, mangled or in pieces. The explosion at the hospital came a day after Iran warned that “other multiple fronts will open” if Israeli attacks continued to kill civilians in Gaza. Hundreds of families had fled to the hospital in search of refuge after 11 days of Israeli strikes elsewhere in Gaza. Image Two Palestinian children injured in the explosion at Ahli Arab Hospital were taken to another hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, for treatment. The Health Ministry in Gaza said that Ahli Arab Hospital was also struck on Sunday.

Persons: ”, Ali Jadallah, Israel, Biden’s, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Jordan, Biden, Jadallah, Mr, Ghassan Abu, Dr, Abu, Sitta, Abed Khaled, Ahmed Hijazi, “ I’ve, Hijazi, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Abu Bakr Bashir, Haley Willis, Euan Ward, Yousur, Abu Hweila Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, The New York Times, Ahli Arab Hospital, Anadolu Agency, Shifa, Lebanese, Palestinian, Islamic, Palestinian Authority, Israel, ”, West Bank, West Bank . Video, The Times, Arab Hospital, Episcopal, Health Ministry, World Health Organization, Twitter Locations: Gaza City, Palestinian, Ahli, Al, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Egypt, Zeitoun, Jerusalem, ”, Canterbury, London, Berkeley, Calif, Beirut, Cairo

The vote follows the council’s rejection Monday evening of a Russian-drafted resolution that condemned violence and terrorism against civilians and called for a “humanitarian cease-fire” but made no mention of Hamas. One calls for a “humanitarian cease-fire.” The other would condemn indiscriminate attacks on civilians and assaults on “civilian objects” in Gaza like hospitals and schools that deprive people of the means to survive. To be adopted, a resolution needs at least nine of the 15 council members to vote “yes” and no veto by a permanent member. The council vote was taking place amid frantic diplomatic efforts to prevent the Israeli-Hamas conflict from spreading. The five permanent Security Council nations are also invited, he said.

Persons: “, ”, Rosemary DiCarlo, Tor Wennesland, Islamic Jihad, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, King Abdullah II of Jordan, U.N, Osama Mahmoud, Antonio Guterres, Mahmoud Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, . Security, Hamas, United Arab, Islamic, Arab, United Nations, Security Council Locations: Israel, Gaza, Brazil, Russian, Russia, United Arab Emirates, China, U.N, Palestinian, Ukraine, United States, Britain, France, U.S, Cairo

Now Biden's only stop will be Israel, where he's expected to huddle with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has been preparing for a potential ground invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, which killed 1,400 Israelis. Outrage over the hospital explosion scuttled Biden's plans to visit Jordan, where King Abdullah II had planned to host meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. He said Biden would have an opportunity to speak to the Arab leaders by phone as he returned to Washington. The visit to Israel coincides with rising humanitarian concerns in Gaza, where Israel has cut off the flow of food, fuel and water.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, John Kirby, Biden “, ” Kirby, ”, “, King Abdullah II, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah el, Abbas, Kirby, Ayman Safadi, It's, Antony Blinken, Blinken's, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, White House, Air Force, Al, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry, Bank, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Ahli, Al Ahli, Ramallah, Beirut, Lebanon, Amman, Jordan, Iran, Ukraine, Tel Aviv, —

☆ Biden backs Israel and says hospital blast in Gaza 'appears as though it was done by the other team'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden touched down in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in a show of support for Israel. In a press briefing, Biden said he believed the bombing "was done by the other team." AdvertisementAdvertisementPresident Joe Biden backed Israel, and said that the blast on a Gaza hospital "appears as though it was done by the other team" — but failed to provide evidence. Israel has relentlessly bombarded the Gaza Strip in the wake of Hamas' deadly terrorist attacks in southern Israel on October 7. Since Israel launched its counteroffensive, more than 3,300 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, —, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, we've, Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas Organizations: Israel, Service, Associated Press, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Tel Aviv, Gaza, Gaza's Al Ahli, Israel

And based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. And Americans are worried,” Biden told Netanyahu as they began a bilateral meeting, acknowledging the complex dynamic. Hospital blast looms over tripThe trip comes less than a day after a horrifying blast at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. Biden landed in Israel on October 18, on a solidarity visit following Hamas attacks that have led to major Israeli reprisals. “The Jews have been subject to abuse, prejudice and attempts to wipe them out for, oh, God, over a thousand years,” Biden told interviewer Scott Pelley.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Israel –, Benjamin Netanyahu –, ” Biden, Netanyahu, “, ” Netanyahu, Israel, you’ve, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, –, Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Evan Vucci, Israel “, Isaac Herzog, CNN Israel readies, Brendan Smialowski, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Brednan Smialowski, it’s, John Kirby, Netanyahu’s, ’, ” Kirby, Scott Pelley, It’s Organizations: CNN, Israel, Tel Aviv Wednesday, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Palestinian, Defense Intelligence Agency, Malaysia Airlines Flight, Hamas, Air Force, Israeli, United, ” Israel, Tel Aviv's, Getty, National Security, Advisers Locations: Israel, Gaza City, Gaza, Tel Aviv, United States, Iran, Jordan, Al, Ahli, Jihad, Russian, Ukraine, Egypt, Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion, AFP, –, Dachau

☆ Gaza hospital strike upends Biden's high-stakes trip to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] U.S. President Joe Biden walks as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a high-stakes visit to Israel, in Maryland, U.S., October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's already fraught trip to the Middle East was completely upended after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a strike on a Gaza hospital on Tuesday. After the strike, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas quickly canceled a planned meeting with Biden, then Jordan's King Abdullah canceled a summit that was supposed to bring Biden together with Egyptian and Palestinian leaders. It was unclear what he could accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike, conflicting reports about responsibility, and the cancellation of the summit in Jordan. "Biden's visit was meant to underline that the U.S. has a grip on the situation.

Persons: Joe Biden, Base Andrews, Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden's, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, King Abdullah, Richard Gowan, U.N, ” Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Matt Spetalnick, Heather Timmons, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Base, REUTERS, Rights, White, Washington, Crisis, Israeli, U.S, American, Democrat, Palestinian, Council, Islamic Relations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Maryland, U.S, East, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Jordan, Jordanian, Amman, Egypt

☆ Palestinians Clash With Abbas' West Bank Forces After Gaza Hospital Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian security forces in Ramallah fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters throwing rocks and chanting against President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, as popular anger boiled over after a deadly Gaza hospital attack that Palestinians blamed on Israel. Israel's military denied responsibility for the strike, blaming it on a failed Palestinian militant rocket launch. In the West Bank, where Abbas was returning on Tuesday after canceling a planned meeting in Jordan with U.S. President Joe Biden, hundreds of demonstrators marched in Ramallah's central Manara Square, with some chanting in support of Hamas militant leaders. Clashes with Palestinian security forces also broke in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Tubas and Jenin, a northern city that was the focus of major Israeli military operations earlier this year, according to witnesses. The outbreak of West Bank protests highlights long-simmering Palestinian anger against Abbas, whose forces have long faced criticism for coordinating with Israel on security in the territory.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Gaza's, Abbas, Joe Biden, Ali Sawafta, Rami Ayyub, Sandra Maler Organizations: West Bank, Reuters, U.S, Israel Locations: RAMALLAH, West, Ramallah, Gaza, Israel, Ahli, Palestinian, Turkey, Jordan, U.S, Lebanon, Ramallah's, Manara, Nablus, Tubas, Jenin

☆ A Blast Killed Hundreds at a Hospital in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An explosion killed hundreds of people today at a hospital in Gaza that was packed with civilians sheltering there, Palestinian officials said. Palestinians and Israelis blamed each other for the blast, and the tragedy could reshape the conflict just as President Biden is expected to arrive in Israel tomorrow. The Gazan health authorities said that the explosion, which occurred at Ahli Arab Hospital, had been caused by an Israeli airstrike. The explosion immediately raised the stakes for Biden’s trip to Israel and Jordan, where he was expected to try to de-escalate the crisis. The hospital explosion compounded the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Persons: Biden, Mahmoud Abbas Organizations: Arab Hospital, Palestinian Authority Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Jordan

☆ Jordan to host summit between Biden and Egyptian and Palestinian leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks as he meets British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, at Downing Street in London, Britain, October 15, 2023. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Pool/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Jordan king to warn Biden against Israel 'transfer' policyKing sought to lobby for immediate delivery of aidAuthorities worried about spillover of violenceAMMAN, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Jordan on Wednesday will host a four-party summit in Amman with U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to discuss the "dangerous" repercussions of the war in Gaza for the region, officials said. Jordan's King Abdullah will also separately hold a tripartite summit with both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Officials said the monarch will stress to Biden on Wednesday that the country would resist any attempt to push Palestinian refugees into Jordan if conflict widens to the West Bank in a wider regional conflagration. Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; editing by Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jordan's King Abdullah II, Rishi Sunak, Hannah McKay, Biden, Israel, King, Joe Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al Sisi, Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: British, REUTERS, Wednesday, Officials, West Bank, Senior, Hamas, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, AMMAN, Jordan, Amman, U.S, Gaza, Israel, East Jerusalem

☆ Palestinians clash with Abbas' West Bank forces after Gaza hospital strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Palestinians take part in a protest after an Israeli air strike hit Al-Ahli Hospital, according to Gaza Health Ministry, in Tubas, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta Acquire Licensing RightsRAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Palestinian security forces in Ramallah fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters throwing rocks and chanting against President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, as popular anger boiled over after a deadly Gaza hospital attack that Palestinians blamed on Israel. In the West Bank, where Abbas was returning on Tuesday after canceling a planned meeting in Jordan with U.S. President Joe Biden, hundreds of demonstrators marched in Ramallah's central Manara Square, with some chanting in support of Hamas militant leaders. Clashes with Palestinian security forces also broke in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Tubas and Jenin, a northern city that was the focus of major Israeli military operations earlier this year, according to witnesses. The outbreak of West Bank protests highlights long-simmering Palestinian anger against Abbas, whose forces have long faced criticism for coordinating with Israel on security in the territory.

Persons: Raneen, Mahmoud Abbas, Gaza's, Abbas, Joe Biden, Ali Sawafta, Rami Ayyub, Sandra Maler Organizations: Gaza Health Ministry, West Bank, REUTERS, U.S, Israel, Thomson Locations: Ahli, Gaza, Tubas, RAMALLAH, West, Ramallah, Israel, Palestinian, Turkey, Jordan, U.S, Lebanon, Ramallah's, Manara, Nablus, Jenin

☆ Analysis: Biden's Middle East mission was thrown into turmoil even before he left
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

A devastating blast at a hospital in Gaza believed to have killed hundreds of people prompted Jordan to cancel the second leg of Biden’s trip. And like any major presidential intervention in a troubled world, Biden’s visit carries the possibility of failure that could damage his political standing at home. Hamas accused Israeli forces of attacking the hospital and killing between 200 to 300 people. A global outpouring of support for Israel risks overshadowing the growing human toll of its attacks against Hamas targets in Gaza. Clashes have already broken out in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank after the Gaza hospital blast.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Jordan, he’d, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, –, Biden, he’ll, David Axelrod, CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Zachary Cohen, Israel, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, ”, Ayman Safadi, Antony Blinken, Israel Biden, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, West, –, Israel Defense Forces, Islamic, Zachary Cohen Tuesday, Biden, Andrews Air Force Base, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Jordan’s, White, Hamas, Israel, Fury, Trump Locations: Washington, Gaza, Israel, Amman, West Bank, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Middle East, United States, Maryland, Jordan, Al Jazeera, Egypt, Ramallah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, New York

☆ How Joe Biden got on board with a wartime trip to Israel – and what he hopes to accomplish
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Phil Mattingly Kevin Liptak Kayla Tausche Mj Lee Jennifer Hansler Alex Marquardt | Phil Mattingly | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —It took an explicit commitment from his Israeli counterpart to open Gaza for humanitarian aid for President Joe Biden to agree to make an extraordinary wartime trip to Tel Aviv. He spent Monday deliberating over the trip at the White House with his top national security and intelligence advisers. Satterfield will be meeting with Israeli officials on Tuesday to start to figure out the specific contours of the plan. There remains a good amount of trepidation that despite the many, many hours Blinken was in consultation with Israeli officials and others, some things may not gel. In Amman, Biden will meet with Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu, they’re, John Kirby, ”, “ We’re, ” Kirby, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Israel “, David Satterfield, Satterfield, “, it’s, Abdel Fattah al, …, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah, Olaf Scholz Organizations: CNN, National Security, White, Israeli, Biden’s, Hamas, Saudi, Palestinian Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, United States, ”, Middle East, Jerusalem, Egypt, Blinken, Cairo, Egyptian, Colorado, Amman, Jordan, Berlin

The less-ambitious approach fit with Biden's determination to pivot his foreign-policy focus from Middle East hotspots to China. Arab leaders “are very aware this is going to keep blowing up. Then, Hamas's breakout from Gaza shattered what National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had hailed as a period of Middle East calm. Brokering those alliances would stabilize the Middle East in themselves, no Israeli-Palestinian peace accord needed, supporters have argued. The nightmare unfolding now for Israeli and Palestinian civilians argues differently, when it comes to Biden's approach, critics say.

Persons: Biden, Richard Nixon, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Abdel Fattah el, Sissi, Antony Blinken, ”, Yezid Sayigh, Malcolm H, it’s, Sayigh, Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Donald Trump, Jake Sullivan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, “, Jonathan Lord, Yousef Munayyer, Sam Magdy Organizations: WASHINGTON, Camp David, Israeli, West Bank, United, Palestinian, Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, U.S, Trump, United Arab, National, Biden, Hamas's, Center, New, New American Security, Arab, Associated Press Locations: Israel, China, Gaza, United States, Cairo, East, Jordan, Egypt, East Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia, Beirut, Lebanon, American, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, U.S, Iran, Saudi, New American, Palestine, Washington

☆ Palestinian Authority Leader Abbas Cancels Meeting With Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas canceled his scheduled meeting this week with President Biden, senior Arab officials said, following an explosion at a Gaza hospital that Palestinian health officials say killed more than 500 people. Biden had been scheduled to meet with Abbas in Amman, Jordan, after his visit to Israel on Wednesday. Biden was also expected to meet with Jordanian King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in Amman to discuss humanitarian efforts and other elements of the conflict. The cancellation by one of Biden’s principal interlocutors in the region threw into question whether he would follow through with the visit.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, Abbas, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah Al Organizations: Wednesday Locations: Gaza, Amman, Jordan, Israel, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi

☆ US extends first full deployment of its newest supercarrier, another twist for the powerful warship amid the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Pentagon announced an extension to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group's deployment. The US Navy carrier strike group was dispatched in early October to the eastern Mediterranean. Its movement — alongside that of another strike group — comes amid Israel's war with Hamas. The move will add another aircraft carrier, a guided-missile cruiser, and two guided-missile destroyers to firepower already on site. USS Gerald R. Ford in the Atlantic Ocean on March 19, 2023.

Persons: Gerald R, —, Ford's, Lloyd Austin, Sabrina Singh, Ford, Thomas Hudner, Ramage, USS Carney, Roosevelt, Dwight D, Eisenhower —, MCS2 Jackson Adkins Singh, Austin, Israel, Joe Biden, Jordan, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah El, Mahmoud Abbas, Antony Blinken Organizations: Pentagon, Ford Carrier, US Navy, Service, US, Ford Carrier Strike Group, US Naval Forces, US European Command, Hamas, Navy, Washington, Ford, United Nations, White House, Palestinian Locations: Israel, US Naval Forces Europe, Africa, Normandy, Iran, Britain, Gaza, United States

☆ Jordan cancels summit with Biden, Sisi and Abbas in Amman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMMAN, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Jordan has cancelled a summit it was to host in Amman on Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden and the Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to discuss Gaza, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. Biden was expected to make a whirlwind trip to Israel where he would later head to Jordan and according to Jordanian officials meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Jordan's peace treaty with Israel is widely unpopular among many citizens who see normalisation as a sellout of the rights of their Palestinian brethren. The Israeli embassy, where protesters gather daily, has long been a flashpoint of anti-Israel protests at times of turmoil in the Palestinian territories. Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting by Muath Freij; Editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jordan, Joe Biden, Ayman Safadi, Safadi, Israel, Biden, Abdel Fattah al Sisi, Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdullah, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Muath Freij, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, Gaza, Thomson Locations: AMMAN, Amman, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Gaza ., Palestinian

☆ Biden Israel, Jordan visit: Who will he meet? What are his goals?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Biden will then fly to Amman for talks about accelerating humanitarian assistance to Gaza. HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS IN GAZABiden's second trip to a war zone this year - he visited Ukraine in February - carries some risk. ISRAEL RED LINESBiden and Netanyahu, thrown into a wartime partnership despite deep political differences on the way forward in the Middle East, have joined forces. Biden has given Israel full-throated support while stressing the need to head off a massive humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The U.S. and Israel agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza, Blinken said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jordan, NETANYAHU, ABDULLAH, ABBAS Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu, Kevin Lamarque, John Kirby, Israel, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Israeli, Israel, West Bank, GAZA, United, General Assembly, REUTERS, White House, Biden, The State Department, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Amman, In Amman, Ukraine, Iran, Hezbollah, Syria, United States, Egypt's, Rafah, New York City, U.S, ISRAEL

☆ Biden has 'tough questions' for Netanyahu, Gaza strike upends Israel trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

After his meetings in Israel, Biden had planned to travel to Jordan for meetings with Arab leaders, but that stop was canceled after the strike on the hospital which Palestinian officials blamed on Israel and Israel blamed on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. "He'll be asking some tough questions, he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel, but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said. Kirby declined to specify the nature of the questions Biden intended to ask beyond "what their plans are going forward." [1/4]U.S. President Joe Biden walks as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a high-stakes visit to Israel, in Maryland, U.S., October 17, 2023. It was unclear what he could accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike, conflicting reports about responsibility, and the cancellation of the summit in Jordan.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, John Kirby, he'll, Kirby, Base Andrews, Evelyn Hockstein, Richard Gowan, U.N, ” Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Cynthia Osterman, Stephen Coates Organizations: AIR FORCE ONE, Islamic, Air Force, Base, REUTERS, Washington, Crisis, Israeli, U.S, American, Palestinian, Democrat, Council, Islamic Relations, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Tel Aviv, United States, Maryland, U.S, Amman, Egypt

The strike killed hundreds of people and occurred during Israel's intense 11-day bombing campaign in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "barbaric terrorists" in Gaza had attacked the hospital, not Israel's military. News of the hospital strike and high death toll prompted condemnation from many countries on the eve of U.S. President Joseph Biden's visit to Israel. Earlier on Tuesday the United Nations said an Israeli strike had hit one of its schools where at least 4,000 people were sheltering. [1/4]An injured person is assisted at Shifa Hospital after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, October 17, 2023.

Persons: Israel, Mai Alkaila, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ashraf Al, Daniel Hagari, Jonathan Conricus, Joseph Biden's, Hagari, Mohammed Al, Masri, Biden, rampaged, Mahmoud Abbas, Moaz Abd, Alaziz, Nidal al Mughrabi, Ali Sawafta, Emily Rose, Angus McDowall, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: West Bank, Arabi, Islamic Jihad, CNN, Islamic, United Arab Emirates, Security, United Nations, Shifa, REUTERS, Health, World Health Organisation, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Israeli, Palestinian, Gaza, Istanbul, Amman, Al, Ahli, Gaza City, Iran, Israel, Russia, Jordan, Canada, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar

☆ Biden calls off Jordan leg of Mideast trip after leader summit canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) hold a joint press conference in Bethlehem, West Bank on July 15, 2022. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will no longer visit Jordan as part of his Middle East trip this week, after a leaders summit on humanitarian aid for Palestinians was abruptly canceled Tuesday. The decision was made as unrest across the region swelled, in response to the deadly bombing of a hospital in Gaza. Biden had been scheduled to meet in with Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority president Mahmound Abbas after first visiting Israel. In deciding not to travel to Jordan, the White House also considered "the days of mourning announced by President Abbas," for victims of the hospital attack, the official said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah El, Mahmound Abbas, Ayman Safadi, Abbas Organizations: West Bank, WASHINGTON, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Hamas, White, CNBC, IDF, Israeli Defense, NBC News Locations: Bethlehem, West, Jordan, Gaza, Jordanian, Ahli, Gaza City, Israel

☆ President Biden to visit Israel at 'critical moment,' his second visit to a war zone this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

President Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday amid the escalating war with Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the visit comes at a "critical moment for Israel." It will be Biden's second trip to a war zone in less than a year; he visited Ukraine in February. AdvertisementAdvertisementPresident Joe Biden will travel to Israel and neighboring Jordan on Wednesday, top US officials say, a high-stakes visit that comes amid Israel's escalating war against Hamas. "Innocent civilians are innocent civilians," Kirby said.

Persons: Biden, Antony Blinken, Israel, —, Joe Biden, Blinken, John Kirby, He'll, Kirby, Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah El, they'll, I've, partygoers, Israel's Organizations: Israel, Hamas, Service, National Security, Palestinian Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, United States, Gaza, Amman, Russia

And as if to punctuate the tragedy and horror of the conflict, an explosion rocked a hospital in Gaza, causing hundreds of civilian casualties. "There is a significant U.S. interest here, showing strong support for Israel," which Biden did immediately after the attack and subsequently, she says. Hamas is based in Gaza, where civilian Palestinians have fought the Israeli government – Netanyahu especially – for civil and human rights. But while there are indeed Palestinians who support Hamas, not all do – and half of Gaza residents are children who are vulnerable as Israel seeks to erase Hamas forever. Biden and Netanyahu have had a chilly relationship going back to the Iran nuclear deal negotiated when Biden was vice president and which Netanyahu opposed.

Persons: Joe Biden, nudging, Biden, Biden doesn't, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah el, Eileen Babbitt, Babbitt, Kamala Harris, Israel –, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Robert Lieberman, Israel, Lieberman, – Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Doug Schoen, Schoen, hamstrung Organizations: Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian National, White, Israel, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Foreign, New, United Nations, Biden, Johns Hopkins University Locations: U.S, Israel, nudging Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, Egypt, Afghanistan, New Jersey, American, United States, Russia, China

Biden's travels will be rife with security concerns, and visits by other U.S. officials have been disrupted by rocket launches into Israel. ... And if we don’t, who does?”In Israel, Biden was expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials before heading to Jordan. However, Abbas has withdrawn his planned participation because of the destruction at the hospital in Gaza. Abbas has been Palestinian president for nearly 20 years. Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,700 people and wounded more than 9,700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Biden, Jordan, Ukraine —, Joe Biden, ”, Jon Alterman, There's, ” Alterman, Biden's, Antony Blinken, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, King Abdullah II, Abdel Fattah el, it's, Netanyahu, Abdullah II, — Biden, Richard Hecht, haven’t, Josh Boak, Josef Federman, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, Hamas, Ministry, Palestinian, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Senate Foreign Relations, Hezbollah, Associated Press, Israel, Republicans, CBS, International Monetary Fund, Gaza Health Ministry, United Nations Locations: Israel, East, Gaza, Palestinian, Ukraine, United States, Iran, Southern Lebanon, “, The U.S, Tel Aviv, —, U.S, United States of America, Jordan, The Israel, Jordanian, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Washington, Jerusalem, Amman

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. Hamas' Oct. 7, attack in southern Israel killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took some 200 captive into Gaza. In Gaza City, Israeli airstrikes also hit the house of Hamas’ top political official, Ismail Haniyeh, killing at least 14 people. Haniyeh is based in Doha, Qatar, but his family lives in Gaza City.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, Joe Biden, Mohammed Abu Selmia, ” Abu Selmia, “, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Abbas, Richard Hecht, haven’t, Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, Witnesses, Ayman Nofal, Netanyahu, ”, Ismail Haniyeh, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Tzahi Hanegbi, —, Israel's Karam, Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Israel's, ” Khamenei, ___ Kullab, Nessman, Lee, Amy Teibel, Abby Sewell, Samy Magdy, Jack Jeffrey, Ashraf Sweilam Organizations: Ministry, Palestinian, Associated Press, Israel, “ Intelligence, Alhi, Gaza, Gaza Health Ministry, Abbas ’ Palestinian, West, Bank, Palestinian Authority, Embassy, Nasser Hospital, United Nations Palestinian, Israeli, Israel’s National Security Council, Food Program, Hamas, Iran’s, Amman . Associated Press Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, al, Ahli, Gaza City, Hamas, Amman, Jordan, Abbas ’, West Bank, Ramallah, Beirut, Khan, Deir al, Doha, Qatar, Rafah, Egypt, Lebanon, Iranian, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amman ., Cairo, el, Arish

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