Biden will visit Israel: crisis in the region worsens

US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on October 18 to express strong support for the country, which has declared war on the Palestinian group Hamas over its brutal terror in the south, reports CBS.

Photo: IStock

“Biden comes here at a critical time for Israel, for the region and for the world,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Oct. 16 during his second visit to Israel in a week.

Blinken also said the United States and Israel "agreed to develop a plan that will allow humanitarian aid from donor countries and multinational organizations to reach civilians in Gaza," the small, densely populated Palestinian territory that has been ruled by Hamas for nearly two decades.

On the subject: PACE recognized Russia as a dictatorship, and the Holodomor as genocide of Ukrainians

Ground operation and opening of the checkpoint

Thousands of people in Gaza gathered at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Diplomatic efforts continue to open it before Israel launches its expected ground operation.

Israel has announced its intentions to destroy Hamas on its territory.

It is not clear when Israel and Egypt, which controls the only border crossing in southern Gaza, at Rafah, might agree to open a crossing to allow at least some foreign nationals to cross.

Like the article? Support ForumDaily!?

However, the UN said no progress had been made in negotiations to open the crossing.

Cairo accuses Israel of 'non-cooperation', reports with the BBC. Israel has struck the area around the Rafah crossing at least three times since it began its air campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Dozens of trucks carrying fuel and humanitarian aid remain on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing awaiting entry as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip worsens.

Relentless Israeli airstrikes and a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip imposed by Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7 have forced approximately half of Gazan's 2,3 million residents to flee their homes and created a humanitarian crisis.

Officials in the Gaza Strip say the Israeli bombing has killed more than 2800 people and wounded nearly 11, most of them women and children. In Israel, officials say the siege and ongoing Hamas rocket attacks have left about 000 people dead and another 1400 injured. Hamas is reported to be holding nearly 3500 hostages, including Israeli soldiers and civilians.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read all this on ForumDaily New York.

Thirteen US citizens remain missing after Hamas raids in Israel. The murder of 30 US citizens has been confirmed.

About 600 US citizens are believed to be among the hundreds of thousands of people trapped in the Gaza Strip.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• October 7 Hamas attacked Israel: Netanyahu said "this is war."
• 8 October The Israeli government officially declared war and greenlighted "significant military steps" in response to the surprise attack by Hamas militants.
• October 11, first plane with American weapons arrived in southern Israel, and the US government offers American citizens wishing to leave Israel, evacuation flights. Also on October 14, it became known that Egypt, Israel and the United States agreed that foreigners living in the Gaza Strip, will be able to travel through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
• On October 16, US President Joe Biden announced that Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip would be big mistake.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Composer Gennady Gladkov has died: the author of the music for 'Well, wait a minute!', 'Gentlemen of Fortune' and other masterpieces

How to save on prescription drugs without harm to health: a little-known way

A Californian organized hundreds of fictitious marriages in the United States so that immigrants would receive green cards: matchmaking cost from $20

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.