President Joe Biden on Monday weighed an invitation to visit close US ally Israel to show support as it wages war against Hamas, abruptly canceling a domestic political trip to meet with his national security team.
The timing of any visit would be highly sensitive, with Israel gearing up for a ground invasion of Hamas-ruled Gaza and pummeling it with air and artillery strikes that the health ministry says have killed at least 2,750 people. CIA chief Bill Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan led the briefing, which was also joined by Biden’s chief of staff, Jeff Zients, it said, releasing a picture on social media of the group sitting in the Oval Office.Biden has repeatedly pledged strong support for close US ally Israel but has also increasingly stressed the need to protect civilians amid the Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza.
The White House said Biden, in addition to his call with Sisi, spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is due to visit Egypt and Israel, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.