US President Joe Biden addressed the media with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just minutes after landing in Tel Aviv, reiterating his support for the fight against Hamas. Biden has publicly backed main partner Israel and its military assault in retribution for the killing of 1,400 people in shock cross-border strikes begun by Hamas on October 7. “I wanted to be here today. For a simple reason I want the people of Israel, the people in the world to know where the United States stands,” Biden said.
Hamas also condemned the ‘atrocities’ committed by Hamas, who have taken hundreds of hostages and are reportedly beheading women and children. “They (Hamas) committed atrocities that make ISIS look somewhat rational. We also have to bear in mind that Hamas does not represent all the Palestinian people, and has brought them only suffering,” he added.
After a hospital blast killed 500 people, Hamas and Israel swapped accusations
Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday to express sympathy and discuss the escalating Gaza conflict. Biden embraced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on the tarmac after descending from the plane amid a strong security contingent. Before a hospital was bombed today, Israel’s attempt to destroy Hamas and try to rescue 199 hostages from the besieged and blockaded area had already killed at least 3,000 people within Gaza.
After a hospital blast killed 500 people, Hamas and Israel swapped accusations. While Hamas alleges that the explosion was triggered by an Israeli rocket, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that they had no involvement in the attack. The Israeli military blamed Palestinian terrorists, claiming that a rocket launched by Islamic Jihad had misfired. In response to the hospital hit, Biden told Netanyahu that the attack seemed to have been carried out by “the other team.” “I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team,” Biden said.