US President Joe Biden to visit Israel amid Israel-Hamas war

Israel-Hamas war: US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in the early hours of Tuesday from Tel Aviv.

Biden had been debating whether to travel to Israel at a time of war, a potentially dangerous trip that might serve as a dramatic demonstration of solidarity for a key ally of the US while also warning other nations in the region against escalation.

Aides claimed the president, who has known Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 40 years and who extended the invitation over the weekend, has shown a significant interest in travelling.

A presidential visit to Israel carries some significant risks. Air sirens sounded when Blinken and Netanyahu met on Monday in Tel Aviv, forcing the two men to take cover.

The United States and Israel “have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza,” Blinken said, adding that the president during the trip “will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas.”

“It is critical that aid begin flowing into Gaza as soon as possible,” Blinken said, speaking from a US diplomatic building in Tel Aviv.