US President Joe Biden has arrived in Tel Aviv to kick off an extraordinary high-stakes trip to Israel, amidst protests following the deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital as Israeli and Palestinian officials trade accusations over who was to blame. The blast marks a dangerous new phase in Israel's war with Hamas, which threatens to spill over regionally. With his visit, Biden seeks to demonstrate staunch support for Israel as it works to eliminate Hamas while also pressing for ways to ease humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Biden's bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began at the Kempinski Hotel in Tel Aviv. Biden disembarked Air Force One at 11:01 a.m. local time, greeting Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog with hugs before shaking hands with US embassy Chargé d'Affaires Stephanie Hallett. Biden aims to ask "tough questions" but emphasize his relationship as a "true friend of Israel" as he meets with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv, according to a US National Security Council spokesperson. "He'll be asking some tough questions," John Kirby told reporters on Air Force One. "He'll be asking as a friend, a true friend of Israel," Kirby added. According to Kirby, Biden plans to emphasize he doesn't want the conflict to widen. He also aims to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza and raise the issue of hostages, Kirby said. During his visit, Biden is scheduled to meet with Israeli first responders as well as the families of victims and people still missing or taken hostage, though Kirby couldn't say if these were families of Americans or Israelis. Biden will also deliver remarks and meet with Israeli President Herzog before his departure. Biden plans to speak with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President El-Sisi on the flight home, in lieu of the scheduled summit in Jordan, which was scrapped after Tuesday's deadly hospital blast in Gaza. The US president's arrival in Israel on Wednesday will build on Blinken's seven-nation, multi-day tour of the Middle East as the US tries to strike a delicate balance between providing unwavering support for Israel's military operations while mitigating the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and stopping the war from spreading to other fronts. Blinken returned to Israel from Amman, Jordan. — CNN
