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Biden to visit Israel as US pushes humanitarian corridor for Gaza

Washington appears to have bought more time for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, but US officials say they are not placing conditions on weapons delivered to Israel nor dictating to the IDF on its operational plans.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at Tioga Marine Terminal on October 13, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Biden discussed how his Bidenomics agenda is creating good-paying union jobs, investing in infrastructure, accelerating the transition to a clean energy future, and combatting the climate crisis.(Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday in a rare trip as the war in the Gaza Strip enters its second week.

Washington’s top diplomat Antony Blinken made the announcement after a day of marathon meetings with top Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv.

Secretary of State Blinken’s meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his so-called war Cabinet, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, kicked off Monday night and stretched for more than eight hours into early Tuesday morning.

The talks capped five consecutive days of shuttle diplomacy across as many Middle Eastern capitals, as Blinken and other top Biden administration officials have sought to establish humanitarian corridors and prevent the outbreak of a wider regional conflict as Israel prepares to invade the Gaza Strip in response to the deadliest terrorist attack in its history.

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