Israel-Hamas war: Biden warns Israel not to be consumed by rage

Joe Biden made clear he came to Israel with a single message: “You are not alone”.

The Hamas attack left deep wound among Israelis, the US president said – but he urged the country not to make “mistakes” like US after the September 11 2001 terror attacks.

And he reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the conflict.

After talking to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he posted on social media: “I asked tough questions as a friend of Israel. We will continue to deter any actor wanting to widen this conflict.”

A European commissioner says he is seeking assurances from social media platforms that they are well prepared for the possibility of Hamas live-streaming executions.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s digital chief, also posted that he was committed to accelerating the fight against illegal and terrorist content on social media.

A White House statement on $100m humanitarian assistance for Palestinian people reads:

“This funding will help support over a million displaced and conflict-affected people with clean water, food, hygiene support, medical care and other essential needs.

“The United States provides humanitarian assistance through trusted partners including UN agencies and international NGOs.

“Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas’s horrific terrorism. Civilian lives must be protected and assistance must urgently reach those in need.”

The Israeli government has insisted it will not allow any humanitarian aid from the country into to Gaza while Israeli citizens are still being held there.

But it has confirmed it will not stop aid for civilians going in through Egypt.

A statement from the prime minister’s office reads:

“In light of the sweeping and vital American support for the war effort, as well as US President Biden’s request for basic humanitarian assistance, the streamlined Security Cabinet unanimously decided:

“1. Israel will not allow any humanitarian assistance from its territory to the Gaza Strip as long as our captives are not returned.

“2. Israel demands Red Cross visits with our captives and is working to mobilize broad international support for this demand.

“3. In light of President Biden’s request, Israel will not prevent humanitarian assistance from Egypt as long as it is only food, water and medicine for the civilian population located in the southern Gaza Strip or which is evacuating to there, and as long as these supplies do not reach Hamas. Any supplies that reach Hamas – will be prevented.”

Joe Biden says Israel has agreed to allow humanitarian assistance to begin flowing into Gaza from Egypt, with the understanding it would be subject to inspections and that it should go to civilians and not Hamas militants.

The US president said he had spoken with the Israeli cabinet “to agree to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance of civilians in Gaza”.

“Let me be clear,” he said. If Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated once again that they have no concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people.”

President Joe Biden is leaving Israel after a brief, high-stakes visit at the height of the Israel-Hamas war.

He boarded the steps of Air Force One just after 6pm local time following a day of meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and first responders who have been come face-to-face with the horrors of the Hamas attacks.

Mr Biden had been expected to travel on to Amman, Jordan, for a Middle East summit, but this was abruptly cancelled after both Jordanian King Abdullah and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority pulled out.

Now, he will fly back to Joint Base Andrews and then on to the White House.

Protesters clashed with security forces in demonstrations near the US embassy in Awkar in Lebanon, in support of Palestinians.

The United States has vetoed a UN resolution that would have condemned Hamas’s attacks on Israel and all violence against civilians, and urged humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 votes in favour, the US against and two abstentions.

US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote that President Joe Biden was in the region engaging in diplomacy “and we need that diplomacy to play out”.

She also criticised the resolution for not saying anything about Israel’s right to self-defence.

Before the vote on the resolution sponsored by Brazil, council members rejected two Russian amendments, one calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire” and the other condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilians and “civilian objects” in Gaza, which include hospitals and schools.