Biden to travel to Israel on Wednesday as tension soars

United States President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to demonstrate his support for Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attack, the White House announced Monday, adding that he would also travel to Jordan for a summit meeting with the heads of States of Jordan, Egypt and the president of Palestinian Authority.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to Israel on Wednesday, October 18, to demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel in the face of Hamas's brutal terrorist attack and to consult on next steps," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Monday night.

Biden will then travel to Amman, Jordan, where he will meet with His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

"He will reiterate that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people's right to dignity and self-determination and discuss the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza," Jean-Pierre said.

Earlier in the day, the US president spoke over the phone with his Egyptian counterpart El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani of Iraq during which they talked about the situation in the region after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel.

In the call, Biden and El-Sisi discussed ongoing efforts to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in coordination with the United Nations (UN), Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and other regional partners, and the need to preserve stability in the Middle East more broadly.

"Biden condemned Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel and reiterated that Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people's right to dignity and self-determination. The two leaders agreed to continue their close coordination to prevent the conflict from widening and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need," said a readout of the call.

In Biden's call with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani of Iraq, they discussed ongoing efforts to prevent an expansion of the conflict in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' abhorrent attack in Israel.

"The two leaders discussed the importance of addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in coordination with the UN and regional partners," said a readout of the call.

Biden and Al-Sudani also affirmed the importance of the bilateral partnership between Iraq and the United States as outlined in the Strategic Framework Agreement between our two countries. They finally committed to regular coordination between their teams to advance shared objectives and preserve regional stability over the coming weeks, the readout said.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to continue discussions on Israel's operations to restore security following the Hamas attack. The Secretary reiterated the US' commitment to continue expediting security assistance and preventing conflict escalation, a media release said.

Austin emphasised civilian safety and thanked the Gallant for efforts to restore safe drinking water access in Gaza, it said.

In the morning, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed by their national security team on the latest updates in the wake of Hamas' abhorrent attack in Israel and the resulting conflict in Gaza.

Chief of Staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing led by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Bill Burns, the White House said.