Victor EzejaThe United States President, Joe Biden has reaffirmed US’s support for Israel in the ongoing conflict between the Jewish nation and Hamas militants in Palestine.
Biden, who arrived Tel Aviv the capital of Israel on Wednesday, is on a diplomatic engagement aimed at preventing the escalation of the conflict in Gaza in Palestine to other parts of the Middle East.
The crisis which started on 7 October following a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants during a Jewish feast, took a different turn humanitarian-wise with an air strike on a Gaza hospital which was said to have claimed about 500 lives.
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Palestinian officials accused Israel of being responsible but the Israeli authorities denied it saying it was a rocket targeted at them but was misfired by the Hamas militants. Many people displaced from their homes in Gaza were said to be taking shelter in the hospital.
The attack prompted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel a planned meeting with President Biden in Amman, Jordan on Wednesday.
During an official meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Biden condemned the Gaza hospital attack and swiftly blamed it on the Hamas militants.
He said: “I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion of the hospital in Gaza yesterday, and based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you.”
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“But there’s a lot of people out there not sure, so we’ve got a lot, we’ve got to overcome a lot of things,” Biden added.
“The world is looking. Israel has a value set like the United States does, and other democracies, and they are looking to see what we are going to do.”
Biden’s proposed talks with Arab leaders in Jordan were canceled as he was leaving Washington on Tuesday night. The cancellation prevented him from having the in-person discussions he believes are essential for navigating this delicate time in the Arab world.
In response to the lethal strikes on Israel on October 7th by Hamas, the armed organization in charge of the Palestinian enclave, Israel has been preparing for a possible ground invasion of Gaza. They had issued notice to Gaza residents to move to a safer location. At least 1,400 individuals most of them Israelis, were killed in bloodshed.
Israel’s counterattacks on Gaza have reportedly claimed the lives of almost 3,300 Palestinians. Health officials stated that a further 1,200 persons are thought to be buried beneath the debris, either alive or dead.
These figures come before Tuesday’s explosion at al-Ahli Arab Hospital. There is still no conclusive reason for the explosion.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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