President Biden’s trip to the Middle East has been cut short after Jordan canceled the commander in chief’s planned summit with Arab leaders following the bombing of a hospital in Gaza.
As the president was preparing to take off, the White House confirmed he will only visit Israel.
“The Amman summit was scrapped after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas withdrew in protest of the explosion, which the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza blamed on an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it had no involvement and pinned the blame on a misfired Palestinian rocket,” AP reports.
Jordan’s foreign minister said the summit would only be held if all attendees agreed that the purpose would be on ending the war, “respecting the humanity of the Palestinians” and delivering aid.
.@eschulze has the latest as Pres. Biden departs for Israel and cancels the Jordan leg of his Middle East trip where he planned to meet with Arab leaders. pic.twitter.com/eQYorUWJ17
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) October 17, 2023
Biden said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” by what happened at the Al Ahli Arab hospital and instructed his national security team to investigate the situation further. “The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff, and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy."
I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted. Immediately upon hearing this news, I spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and have directed my national…
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 17, 2023
Biden later said he believes Israel's assessment that a Hamas rocket misfire led to the explosion.
NOW - Biden on Gaza hospital blast: "Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team."pic.twitter.com/T9MdPRGpDe
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 18, 2023
Protests have already broken out across the Middle East.
Protests erupted at Israel's embassies in Turkey and Jordan and near the US embassy in Lebanon after a Gaza hospital was hit by an air strike, killing hundreds of people https://t.co/7yIPwl0DO4 pic.twitter.com/EekmEmaF7S
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 18, 2023