US President’s crucial visit highlights support for Israel in the face of Hamas attacks and humanitarian concerns
US President’s crucial visit highlights support for Israel in the face of Hamas attacks and humanitarian concerns
Since the October 7 surprise attack inside Israel by the Hamas terrorist group, which claimed more than 1,400 lives, about 3,000 Palestinians are reported to have died in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
According to the ministry of Health, the beleaguered seaside enclave has seen more than 12,500 injuries.
The number of assaults and attacks against Palestinian journalists in the West Bank and Israel has increased, according to the Palestinian Journalist Union.
“We have documented 50 assaults on journalists,” said Nasser Abu Bakr, the Palestinian journalists union’s deputy head.
“The fate of three journalists remains unknown, 50 media organizations have been destroyed and 22 radio stations are off-air due to lack of electricity in the Gaza strip,” said Abu Bakr.
At the Rafah gate, hundreds of shipments of essential aid and food are blocked from entering Gaza.
“Israel’s concern with opening the crossing is that Hamas may seize or prevent aid from reaching Gaza,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“The president will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that minimises civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas,” said Blinken.
Without revealing any other information, the top US diplomat said that President Joe Biden would meet with his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday to discuss a strategy for getting aid to Gaza’s civilian population.
As Israel gets ready to intensify an offensive against Hamas rebels that has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and sparked concerns of a wider conflict with Iran, US President Joe Biden will pay a pivotal visit there on Wednesday.
After Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, Biden’s visit will be an important demonstration of US support for the country’s biggest ally in the Middle East. On Tuesday, the death toll on the Israeli side surpassed 1,400.
