British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks to the media after landing at Ben Gurion international airport in Lod, Near Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct 19, 2023. less than eight hours in Israel
During a speech, Biden told Israelis:"While you feel that rage, don’t be consumed by it. After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States. And while we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes." Sunak landed in Tel Aviv hours after Biden left, carrying similar messages of support and condolence for Israelis.
Rafat Al-Nakhala, who had sought shelter in there after obeying Israel's order for civilians to flee Gaza City in the north, said nowhere was safe. The United Nations says around half of Gazans have been made homeless, still trapped inside the enclave, one of the most densely populated places on earth.The plight of Gaza civilians has enraged the Middle East, making it more difficult for Biden and other Western leaders to rally Arab allies to prevent the war from spreading.An explosion at a hospital in Gaza on the eve of Biden's visit scuppered his plans to meet Arab leaders, who called off a summit with him.
Egypt has long said its crossing to Gaza is open on its side but aid cannot get through due to Israeli bombardment of the Gaza side. Cairo has also firmly rejected any suggestion that it open the border to allow a mass exodus of Gazans to flee to safety.