President Biden visits Israel on Wednesday

President Biden visits Israel on Wednesday

US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced this on Monday after an hours-long meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During that conversation, agreements were also made about allowing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Blinken did not provide details on what the humanitarian aid will look like. Biden will also discuss aid to Gaza during his visit. He will also be updated on ongoing military operations, Blinken announced. According to The New York Times Biden’s visit means that Israel’s ground offensive will in any case not start before Wednesday.

After Israel, Biden will travel to Jordan, where he will meet with Egyptian President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, among others.

Hamas shows video of hostage for the first time

Hamas has released a video of a hostage for the first time. It concerns a 21-year-old woman who is on screen for a minute and speaks directly into the camera. She was allegedly kidnapped during the attack by Hamas fighters on the music festival in Israel, writes The New York Times.

She is being treated on screen on her arm. In the video, the woman confirms that she is being held in Gaza. “I only ask that I return to my family, my parents and my brothers and sisters as soon as possible. Please get us out of here as quickly as possible,” the Israeli said.

The Israeli army says it is in contact with the hostage’s family and emphasizes that it is using “all intelligence and operational measures” to bring everyone back. Earlier on Monday, Israel announced that 199 hostages were being held in Gaza, a higher number than previously known.

Israel says it has killed Hamas leader

A Hamas leader was killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Israeli army said. In a message on X they write that Osama Mazini was killed and that he was responsible for attacks on Israel and the kidnapping of Israelis.

Hamas has not yet confirmed the reports about the death of the Hamas leader. Mazini headed the Shura Council, which is part of the Hamas administration. He played an important role as a negotiator in a 2011 prison swap, when a thousand Palestinian prisoners were exchanged for one Israeli soldier.

Iran warns of ‘preventive action’ against Israel in ‘the coming hours’

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has warned of a “preventive action” against Israel that could take place in “the coming hours.” Amirabdollahian spoke according to international news agencies on state television and said all options were open. “We cannot be indifferent to the war crimes being committed against the people of Gaza,” he said.

“Resistance leaders will not allow the Zionist regime to take action in Gaza,” said Amirabdollahian, who has met with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas in recent days and also visited Syria and Iraq. The minister referred to this group of countries as “the resistance front”, which would be able “to wage a prolonged war with the enemy”. On Monday, an Israeli army spokesman stressed that preparations for the ground offensive were still being made.

Earlier on Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that the war between Israel and Hamas could spread across the region. He also said that the time to reach a political solution is almost over. Iran is an ally of Hamas and previously said it welcomed the terror movement’s violence against Israel. The country denies direct involvement in the October 7 attack.