Biden lands in Israel in bid to prevent Gaza conflict escalating into regional war
US president to meet only Israeli figures after blast in Gaza City hospital causes mass casualties
Joe Biden has landed in Israel on a visit intended to prevent the conflict over Gaza escalating into a regional war, and to mitigate the unfolding humanitarian disaster in the enclave after a blast in a hospital causing mass casualties.
The explosion at the Gaza City hospital led to the cancellation of the second leg of Biden's trip, to meet Arab leaders in Jordan, before the president had even left Washington. He is due to return directly to Washington after meetings with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, top civilian and military officials in Tel Aviv, as well as families of victims of the Hamas attack on 7 October which killed more than 1,300 people, mostly civilians, and began the latest cycle of violence.
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