As the battle against Hamas and the humanitarian crisis Hamas has caused in Gaza unfolds, President Biden will be traveling to Israel to signal the U.S.'s strong support for Israel and to review plans for delivering aid to non-combatant civilians in Gaza who have been able to leave areas controlled by the Hamas terrorists. From the Associated Press' reporting:
"U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden’s travel to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the 141-square-mile (365-square-kilometer) territory to root out Hamas militants responsible for what U.S. and Israeli officials say was the most lethal assault against Jews since the Holocaust.
Biden is looking to send the strongest message yet that the U.S. is behind Israel. His Democratic administration has pledged military support, sending U.S. carriers and aid to the region. [snip]
Blinken added that Biden will be briefed by Israeli officials on their war aims and strategy and would hear about how they intend to conduct operations 'in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas.'
Shortly after in Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that Biden would also go to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
'We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza,' Kirby said. 'That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration.'” (our emphasis)
There's been growing concern that Hezbollah terrorists operating in Lebanon may try to open a "second front" in the north of Israel to take advantage of Israel's concentration in the south to destroy Hamas. The two U.S. carrier strike forces in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and other U.S. military assets in the region have been positioned there to counter any threats by other entities against Israel.
