In Tel Aviv, Biden backs Israel, says ‘terrorist group in Gaza’ apparently responsible for hospital blast – By Rebecca Shabad and Summer Concepcion (NBC News) / Oct 18, 2023
During his trip to Israel, the president also announced $100 million in new U.S. humanitarian assistance for both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged his support for Israel during his trip to Tel Aviv and said that a “terrorist group in Gaza” was apparently responsible for the deadly blast at a Christian-run hospital in Gaza City that is estimated to have killed hundreds.
“I was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life yesterday in the hospital in Gaza,” he said in formal remarks to reporters. “Based on the information we’ve seen to date, it appears as a result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza. The United States unequivocally stands for the protection of civilian life during conflict.”
Biden also announced $100 million in new U.S. funding for humanitarian aid in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The U.S. has an independent assessment that it was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad group rocket that misfired and hit the hospital in Gaza, NBC News has reported, according to two senior U.S. officials.
