The White House said Tuesday that President Joe Biden would pose “tough questions” to Israeli leaders during a trip to the region that the massive explosion at a Gaza hospital has upended.
Biden expressed “outraged and deeply saddened” by the attack, which Palestinian officials blame on Israel. “The United States has unequivocally stood for protecting civilian life during conflict,” he said. He said he had directed his national security team to gather information about what happened. “We mourn the patients, medical staff, and other innocent victims of this tragedy,” he said.
The blast destroyed the Al Ahli Arab Hospital and sparked outrage worldwide, prompting protesters to gather outside Israeli embassies in several countries. Palestinian official Riyad Mansour blamed Israel for the attack, while Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman assigned responsibility to the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Iran defended the group, saying it was fighting against “Israeli aggression” in Gaza and that “the entire civilized world must stand together to defeat these barbaric terrorists.”
Despite the hospital attack, which prompted the cancellation of the second leg of his trip, Biden plans to travel to Israel and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, senior Israeli military and political officials, and family members of victims of the Hamas attacks that began on October 7. He also will speak by phone with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The White House spokesman, John Kirby, said on Air Force One that the president would convey his deepest condolences to the families of those killed or injured. He said the president would urge the parties to avoid escalation of violence and allow access to humanitarian aid to the 2 million people in Gaza, who live under Israel’s constant bombardment and have no reliable means of food or other necessities.
Kirby said that during the meetings, Biden will tell Netanyahu that the United States remains committed to the security of Israel but will urge him to ensure Palestinians have access to essential life-saving services. He will encourage the two to work toward a long-term truce with Hamas.
Biden’s trip aimed to show US support for Israel following its response to the Hamas attacks. But the Gaza bombing has upended his mission and led to demonstrations at Israeli embassies in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon.
