WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden announced he will deliver remarks Friday on the Middle East, as Israel pushes into Rafah despite US warnings against a full-scale offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city.
“Later today, I’ll deliver remarks on the Middle East. Tune in here,” Biden said on X, with a video link to the event.
The White House did not give further details or a time.
The speech comes the day after Biden’s election challenger Donald Trump became the first former US president to be convicted on criminal charges.
Biden, who was flying back to Washington from his beachside home in Rehoboth, Delaware on Friday has not yet commented on Thursday’s Trump verdict.
The US president has been under growing pressure over his support for Israel since a deadly strike on Rafah set ablaze a crowded camp on Sunday. Gaza officials said 45 people were killed and about 250 wounded.
The White House however said on Tuesday that while the Israeli strike was “devastating,” it did not breach Biden’s red lines for withholding weapons deliveries to the key US ally.
Biden does not believe that Israel’s actions in Rafah amount to the full-scale operation he has warned prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu against, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The Israeli army said Friday its troops pushed into central Rafah, escalating its nearly eight-month war with Hamas despite international objections.
“Later today, I’ll deliver remarks on the Middle East. Tune in here,” Biden said on X, with a video link to the event.
The White House did not give further details or a time.
The speech comes the day after Biden’s election challenger Donald Trump became the first former US president to be convicted on criminal charges.
Biden, who was flying back to Washington from his beachside home in Rehoboth, Delaware on Friday has not yet commented on Thursday’s Trump verdict.
The US president has been under growing pressure over his support for Israel since a deadly strike on Rafah set ablaze a crowded camp on Sunday. Gaza officials said 45 people were killed and about 250 wounded.
The White House however said on Tuesday that while the Israeli strike was “devastating,” it did not breach Biden’s red lines for withholding weapons deliveries to the key US ally.
Biden does not believe that Israel’s actions in Rafah amount to the full-scale operation he has warned prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu against, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The Israeli army said Friday its troops pushed into central Rafah, escalating its nearly eight-month war with Hamas despite international objections.