President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv (Evan Vucci/AP)

By Smartencyclopedia with Agencies 

TEL AVIV – US President Joe Biden has arrived in Israel today, embarking on a diplomatic mission aimed at preventing the ongoing conflict with Hamas from further spiraling out of control. However, the already complex challenge he faces has intensified, as outrage sweeps across the Middle East following a catastrophic explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital, which claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians.

Originally, President Biden was scheduled to visit Jordan as part of his Middle East tour to meet with Arab leaders, but these meetings were abruptly canceled as he was departing from Washington. This unexpected change in plans deprived him of valuable face-to-face discussions, which he considers vital for resolving the crisis.

As things stand, President Biden’s sole destination is Tel Aviv, where he is expected to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The discussions are likely to focus on permitting critical humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, a matter of urgency given the dire situation on the ground.

Israel has been preparing for a potential ground invasion of Gaza in response to an attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the tragic loss of 1,400 Israeli lives.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, emphasized that President Biden is seeking to gain insights into the situation on the ground from Israeli officials and will not shy away from asking tough questions. Kirby added that these questions would be asked in the spirit of friendship.

President Biden also intends to meet with Israeli first responders and the families of victims affected by Hamas’s incursion into Israel.

According to reports, roughly 2,800 Palestinians have been reported killed as a result of Israeli strikes in Gaza, and another 1,200 people are believed to be buried under the rubble, either alive or deceased, as stated by health authorities. These figures do not account for the recent explosion at the al-Ahli hospital, and the cause of the blast remains unclear.

The Gaza health ministry, controlled by Hamas, claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for the hospital’s destruction. However, the Israeli military has denied involvement, attributing the incident to a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group. Nevertheless, this organization has also disavowed responsibility.

President Biden expressed his outrage and deep sadness in a statement following the hospital explosion. He has directed his national security team to continue gathering information about the incident.

The hospital tragedy led to widespread protests across the region. Major West Bank cities, including Ramallah, saw hundreds of Palestinians take to the streets. Protests also erupted in Beirut, Lebanon, and Amman, Jordan, where an angry crowd gathered outside the Israeli Embassy.

The hospital explosion’s aftermath forced President Biden to cancel his planned visit to Jordan, where meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had been scheduled. Mr. Abbas withdrew from the meetings in protest, resulting in the summit’s outright cancellation.

John Kirby explained that Jordan declared three days of mourning after the hospital explosion, and the decision to cancel the Jordan portion of President Biden’s trip was mutual. He added that the President would have an opportunity to speak to Arab leaders by phone upon his return to Washington.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, expressed concern that the conflict is pushing the region to the brink.

There are also mounting fears that a new front may erupt along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah operates and has engaged in skirmishes with Israeli forces.

President Biden’s visit comes at a critical juncture in the Middle East and will test the limits of U.S. influence in the region during these volatile times. This marks his second trip to a conflict zone this year, after showing solidarity with Ukraine during Russia’s invasion earlier in February.

His visit coincides with growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza, as Israel has cut off the flow of essential supplies, including food, fuel, and water. Mediators have been working tirelessly to break the deadlock and provide relief to desperate civilians, aid organizations, and hospitals.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been shuttling between Arab and Israeli leaders ahead of President Biden’s visit, spent seven-and-a-half hours in meetings in Tel Aviv on Monday, striving to broker an agreement for humanitarian aid. He emerged with the green light to develop a plan for aid delivery and distribution in Gaza.

Although this may appear as a modest accomplishment on the surface, U.S. officials have stressed that it signifies a significant shift in Israel’s position regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It has become clear that the already limited tolerance among Arab nations for Israel’s military operations would dissipate entirely if conditions in Gaza worsen.

U.S. officials have cautioned that an outright condemnation of Israel by Arab leaders would not only bolster Hamas but also potentially encourage Iran to intensify its anti-Israel activities, raising concerns of a regional conflict erupting.