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| Biden to visit Israel at ‘critical moment’ for the region, says Blinken | Biden to visit Israel at ‘critical moment’ for the region, says Blinken |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| US says it has reached agreement with Netanyahu’s government on humanitarian relief for Gaza | US says it has reached agreement with Netanyahu’s government on humanitarian relief for Gaza |
| Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday after the US said it had reached agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on the provision of humanitarian relief and safe areas to the more than 2 million people in Gaza currently under fire, and in urgent need of water, food and medical help. | Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday after the US said it had reached agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on the provision of humanitarian relief and safe areas to the more than 2 million people in Gaza currently under fire, and in urgent need of water, food and medical help. |
| The US president will also go to Amman for talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah, the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, in an attempt to fend off an even greater humanitarian disaster and a regional war that could draw in Iran and the US. | |
| The visit is a gamble for Biden, in terms of his international reputation and his domestic standing before an election year. The US believed it had struck humanitarian agreements with Netanyahu’s government over the past two days but they did not come to fruition. | |
| The president’s trip was announced by the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, after more than seven hours of talks with Netanyahu and his national security cabinet. The Washington Post and Haaretz reported that the announcement was held back until the Israeli leadership agreed corridors for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and the creation of safe areas for civilians that would not be bombed. | The president’s trip was announced by the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, after more than seven hours of talks with Netanyahu and his national security cabinet. The Washington Post and Haaretz reported that the announcement was held back until the Israeli leadership agreed corridors for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and the creation of safe areas for civilians that would not be bombed. |
| Blinken said Biden was coming “at a critical moment for Israel, for the region and for the world”. | Blinken said Biden was coming “at a critical moment for Israel, for the region and for the world”. |
| He said Israel would brief Biden on its war aims and strategy, and on how it would conduct 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”. | He said Israel would brief Biden on its war aims and strategy, and on how it would conduct 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”. |
| Convoys of lorries carrying emergency food water and medical supplies are waiting on the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza waiting for the crossing point at Rafah to open, while Palestinians with foreign citizenship wait on the other side to leave the enclave. Egypt controls the border but requires Israeli agreement on what and who is allowed to pass through it. | Convoys of lorries carrying emergency food water and medical supplies are waiting on the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza waiting for the crossing point at Rafah to open, while Palestinians with foreign citizenship wait on the other side to leave the enclave. Egypt controls the border but requires Israeli agreement on what and who is allowed to pass through it. |
| By Tuesday evening, on the eve of Biden’s arrival, the gate had still not been opened, but the border post and nearby urban areas were hit by airstrikes. At least 49 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes that hit homes in Rafah and Khan Younis, Gaza’s interior ministry said. | |
| The UN human rights office denounced the “appalling reports” of civilians being killed in southern Gaza where they had been told to flee for their own safety by the Israeli authorities. The office’s spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, appealed to Israel to avoid “indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks”. | |
| Asked about airstrikes on Rafah, an Israeli military spokesperson, Lt Col Richard Hecht, said on Tuesday: “When we see a target, when we see something moving that is Hamas, we take care of it. It’s as simple as that.” | Asked about airstrikes on Rafah, an Israeli military spokesperson, Lt Col Richard Hecht, said on Tuesday: “When we see a target, when we see something moving that is Hamas, we take care of it. It’s as simple as that.” |
| The UN reported continuing heavy Israeli bombing along the Gaza Strip, with the Palestinian death toll from the past 10 days approaching 3,000. Israel has partly restored water supply to southern Gaza but the UN said it constituted only 4% of the normal flow into the territory. The lack of clean water and the presence of bodies under the rubble has brought fears of an epidemic. Hospitals are in a state of collapse in the absence of electricity and fuel for generators. | The UN reported continuing heavy Israeli bombing along the Gaza Strip, with the Palestinian death toll from the past 10 days approaching 3,000. Israel has partly restored water supply to southern Gaza but the UN said it constituted only 4% of the normal flow into the territory. The lack of clean water and the presence of bodies under the rubble has brought fears of an epidemic. Hospitals are in a state of collapse in the absence of electricity and fuel for generators. |
| Israel has amassed a large force around Gaza’s borders in preparation for a potential invasion, in the wake of a Hamas attack on 7 October that killed more than 1,300 Israelis, mostly civilians. The extremist group is holding 199 Israelis hostage, including women and children, inside Gaza. The ground assault has been held back during Blinken’s diplomatic initiative and amid fears that it could trigger an offensive by Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border. | Israel has amassed a large force around Gaza’s borders in preparation for a potential invasion, in the wake of a Hamas attack on 7 October that killed more than 1,300 Israelis, mostly civilians. The extremist group is holding 199 Israelis hostage, including women and children, inside Gaza. The ground assault has been held back during Blinken’s diplomatic initiative and amid fears that it could trigger an offensive by Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border. |
| Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Hecht suggested a ground assault was not an inevitability. “We are preparing for the next stages of war,” he said. “We haven’t said what it will be. Everyone is talking about a ground offensive, but maybe it will be something different.” | Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Hecht suggested a ground assault was not an inevitability. “We are preparing for the next stages of war,” he said. “We haven’t said what it will be. Everyone is talking about a ground offensive, but maybe it will be something different.” |
| Israel has told Palestinian civilians to evacuate northern Gaza in advance of its expected operations against Hamas but the UN human rights office said on Tuesday the order could constitute the forcible transfer of civilians, which is a crime under international humanitarian law. The UN has said more than a million people had been forced from their homes. | Israel has told Palestinian civilians to evacuate northern Gaza in advance of its expected operations against Hamas but the UN human rights office said on Tuesday the order could constitute the forcible transfer of civilians, which is a crime under international humanitarian law. The UN has said more than a million people had been forced from their homes. |
| “We are concerned that this order, combined with the imposition of a complete siege of Gaza, may not be considered as lawful temporary evacuation and would therefore amount to a forcible transfer of civilians in breach of international law,” Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office, said. | “We are concerned that this order, combined with the imposition of a complete siege of Gaza, may not be considered as lawful temporary evacuation and would therefore amount to a forcible transfer of civilians in breach of international law,” Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office, said. |
| As well as humanitarian corridors for aid to enter Gaza, Blinken said he had held discussions with the Israelis on the “possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way”. | As well as humanitarian corridors for aid to enter Gaza, Blinken said he had held discussions with the Israelis on the “possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way”. |
| “We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza,” the White House national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, said. “That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration.” | “We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza,” the White House national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, said. “That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration.” |
| US officials believed they had agreement for the Rafah crossing to open for the past two days for aid supplies to enter Gaza and for Palestinian-Americans to leave, but the crossing has remained closed. | |
| In his talks with Israeli and Arab leaders this week, Biden will also be seeking to ward off a wider regional conflagration after threats from Hezbollah and its backer, Iran. | In his talks with Israeli and Arab leaders this week, Biden will also be seeking to ward off a wider regional conflagration after threats from Hezbollah and its backer, Iran. |
| Israel has ordered the evacuation of 28 villages to create a 2km security zone on its Lebanese border, as Netanyahu warned Israelis they should prepare for a long battle. | Israel has ordered the evacuation of 28 villages to create a 2km security zone on its Lebanese border, as Netanyahu warned Israelis they should prepare for a long battle. |
| “And I have a message for Iran and Hezbollah, don’t test us in the north. Don’t make the same mistake you once made. Because today the price you will pay will be much heavier,” the prime minister told the Knesset on Monday. | “And I have a message for Iran and Hezbollah, don’t test us in the north. Don’t make the same mistake you once made. Because today the price you will pay will be much heavier,” the prime minister told the Knesset on Monday. |
| Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has warned of “pre-emptive action” if Israel moves closer to its looming ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. | Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has warned of “pre-emptive action” if Israel moves closer to its looming ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. |
| “Leaders of the resistance will not allow the Zionist regime to do whatever it wants in Gaza and then go after other resistance groups after it’s done with Gaza,” Amir-Abdollahian told state television. “Therefore any preemptive action is possible in the coming hours.” | “Leaders of the resistance will not allow the Zionist regime to do whatever it wants in Gaza and then go after other resistance groups after it’s done with Gaza,” Amir-Abdollahian told state television. “Therefore any preemptive action is possible in the coming hours.” |
| “The resistance front is capable of waging a long-term war with the enemy,” he added. | “The resistance front is capable of waging a long-term war with the enemy,” he added. |
| On Tuesday, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, repeated the threat, saying “no one can stop” the forces arrayed against Israel if it continued its bombardment of Gaza. | |
| Hecht told journalists there had been a fresh exchange of fire on the northern border on Tuesday and added: “Lebanon should be asking themselves, do we want to risk our future for Hamas … We’re prepared. We’re ready.” | |
| Kirby said the US had not seen any signs that Iran might try to get directly involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US has deployed two aircraft carrier groups to the region and about 2,000 US troops had been put on alert for non-combat roles in possible support of Israel. The White House has asked Congress to approve more than $2bn (£1.64bn) in additional assistance for both Israel and Ukraine. | Kirby said the US had not seen any signs that Iran might try to get directly involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US has deployed two aircraft carrier groups to the region and about 2,000 US troops had been put on alert for non-combat roles in possible support of Israel. The White House has asked Congress to approve more than $2bn (£1.64bn) in additional assistance for both Israel and Ukraine. |
| “We are not putting conditions on the military assistance that we are providing to Israel,” Kirby said. “They have a right to defend themselves. They have a right to go after this terrorist threat.” | “We are not putting conditions on the military assistance that we are providing to Israel,” Kirby said. “They have a right to defend themselves. They have a right to go after this terrorist threat.” |
| Hamas released a video on Monday in which a French-Israeli hostage, 21-year-old Mia Schem, was shown having her injured arm treated and appealing for her release. | Hamas released a video on Monday in which a French-Israeli hostage, 21-year-old Mia Schem, was shown having her injured arm treated and appealing for her release. |
| Khaled Meshaal, a top Hamas official, said the group “has what it needs” in order to free all Palestinians in Israel’s jails, suggesting that the hostages could be used as bargaining chips. The Hamas armed wing has said separately that the non-Israelis it was holding were “guests” who would be released “when circumstances allow”. | Khaled Meshaal, a top Hamas official, said the group “has what it needs” in order to free all Palestinians in Israel’s jails, suggesting that the hostages could be used as bargaining chips. The Hamas armed wing has said separately that the non-Israelis it was holding were “guests” who would be released “when circumstances allow”. |