Joe Biden Confirms Israel's Approval for Humanitarian Aid to Gaza via Egypt

President Joe Biden shared news on Wednesday that Israel has agreed to let vital supplies enter Gaza from Egypt. This is a big step to help people in Gaza, but the shipments will be checked to make sure they only go to regular people, not the group Hamas.

I just announced $100 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza and the West Bank.

This money will support over 1 million displaced and conflict-affected Palestinians.

And we will have mechanisms in place so this aid reaches those in need – not Hamas or terrorist groups.

— President Biden (@POTUS) October 18, 2023

Biden talked about how the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 was a big tragedy, comparing it to the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. He said it's natural to feel angry, but not to let anger take over.

After the Hamas attack, Israel stopped sending things like food, fuel, and water to Gaza. People have been trying hard to figure out how to get these things to the people who need them, like regular people, hospitals, and groups that help.

Israel agreed that food, water, and medicine would start going to Gaza from Egypt, but we don't know exactly when yet.

There are different stories about what caused the explosion at a Gaza hospital. The people in Gaza said it was from an Israeli attack, but Israel said they weren't involved. They showed videos and other proof that it was actually a mistake by another group called Islamic Jihad. But we don't have solid proof from any side yet.

Biden looked at information from the U.S. Defense Department and said it's not very likely that Israel caused the explosion. A spokesperson from the National Security Council also said that after checking lots of different sources, they don't think Israel did it. But the U.S. is still looking for more proof.

Biden told Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that from what he's seen, it seems like someone else was responsible. He also said that many people aren't sure what caused the explosion, and that led to protests all over the Middle East.

Biden wants to make sure that the aid goes to regular people in Gaza, not Hamas. He said if Hamas takes the aid or uses it for something else, it shows they don't really care about the Palestinian people.

Biden also promised to give another $100 million to help people in Gaza and the West Bank.

Biden was going to visit Jordan to talk to leaders from Arab countries, but they decided not to meet after the hospital explosion. His visit in Tel Aviv showed that he cares about both the difficult times Israel is going through and the tough situation for regular people in Gaza.

Biden also said that Hamas doesn't speak for all Palestinians and has made things hard for them. He thinks it's important to find ways to help the people who are caught in the middle.

Biden told Israel that they're not alone and that the U.S. will support them. He said they will work together with Israel and other countries in the area to prevent more bad things from happening to regular people.

Netanyahu said that Biden's visit was very moving and thanked him for standing by Israel.

He said Biden was right to show the difference between what's good and what's bad, and that Israel is determined to defeat Hamas.

The U.S. also said that they will put sanctions on 10 members of Hamas and their financial network in different places.

During his visit, Biden met with Israel's President Isaac Herzog, as well as people who help in emergencies and families who were affected by the recent events. He listened carefully to their stories and tried to comfort them.

The meeting between Biden and Netanyahu had a very different feeling from when they met just a month ago in New York. Back then, they were hopeful about better relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. But now, with the fighting between Israel and Hamas, things have gotten much more difficult.

People are worried that there might be more trouble along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where another group called Hezbollah is active. They have been in small fights with Israel.

Biden's trip is testing how much the U.S. can do in the Middle East during a tough time. This is his second trip to a place with a lot of fighting this year, after going to Ukraine in February to show support while they are in a conflict with Russia.

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