Biden-We Will Make Sure Israel Has What It Needs To Defend Itself

US President Joe Biden has just finished speaking on his visit to Israel. States that "Hamas slaughtered more than 1,300 people, including 31 Americans...Hamas committed atrocities that make ISIS look more rational....US will make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself." Says that he is "...Saddened and outraged by Gaza hospital explosion", and that from what he has seen it was caused "by the other side." Biden: Courage and bravery of Israeli people is "truly stunning".

• Ahead of Biden speaking, PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Biden for his "unequivocal" support, saying that the "Civilised world must unite to defeat Hamas", and that Biden's visit at a time of war is "deeply, deeply moving".
• Biden's task in the coming hours is a difficult one. He intends to both offer his fulsome support to Israel, but also seek to mitigate the prospect of the conflict developing into a wider regional conflagration. Biden's comments around making sure Israel 'has what it needs' would appear to imply the US will continue to stock Israel with both defensive and offensive military hardware that would be required for a ground incursion into Gaza.
• Following the cancellation of the 4-party summit in Jordan involving PA leader Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Biden has been denied a key opportunity to talk about ensuring humanitarian support for Palestinians while in the presence of Arab leaders. Instead, Biden will hold calls with Abbas and el-Sisi while travelling back to the US.