Washington, Oct 18: President Joe Biden left the White House for a brief visit to Israel to express solidarity with the country following a terrorist attack by Hamas. However, his planned visit to Jordan for a meeting with leaders from Jordan, Egypt, and Palestine had to be abruptly canceled after the Palestinian Authority called off the summit. This cancellation was in response to a massive explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, which resulted in a significant loss of civilian lives. Israel denied involvement in the bombing, while Palestinians held it responsible.
President Biden expressed his outrage and sorrow over the hospital explosion, and he immediately engaged with leaders in the region, including King Abdullah II of Jordan and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. He directed his national security team to gather information about the incident. The U.S. government stands firmly for the protection of civilian lives during conflicts and mourns the loss of innocent patients, medical staff, and others affected by this tragedy.
In response to these developments, President Biden decided to postpone his travel to Jordan and the planned meeting with the leaders of Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt. The White House conveyed the President’s condolences for the lives lost in the Gaza hospital explosion and wished a swift recovery to the wounded. President Biden looks forward to in-person consultations with these leaders in the near future and will remain engaged with them in the coming days.
President Biden was also briefed by his national security team on the situation, including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer. He spoke with Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who was in the region at the time. The President continues to receive regular updates on the situation.
It’s important to note that President Biden has been supportive of Israeli calls for action against Hamas following attacks it carried out on Israel on October 7, resulting in a significant number of casualties and Israeli citizens reportedly being taken to Gaza as hostages.
