President Joe Biden to visit Israel at a "critical moment" on Wednesday, Oct 18th, 2023

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that President Joe Biden is coming to Israel at a "critical moment". As the war enters its 10th day, over 2,800 people have been killed in Gaza and at least 1,400 in Israel. 

It is arguably said that for years, the various governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu took an approach that divided power between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — bringing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to his knees while making moves that propped up the Hamas terror group.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who announced the wartime visit to Israel, said that Biden will emphasise that Israel has the "right and duty" to defend itself from Hamas.

Blinken also announced the development on the agreement on humanitarian aid to Gaza. He said on Tuesday, "At our request, the United States and Israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organisations to reach civilians in Gaza, including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way."

A Russian-drafted resolution that called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza failed to pass at the United Nations Security Council. The Russian resolution also called for the release of hostages, humanitarian aid access, and the safe evacuation of civilians and also condemned violence against civilians and all acts of terrorism, without naming Hamas.The draft resolution received five votes in favour and four votes against, along with six abstentions.

Colombia tells Israel envoy to leave as diplomatic feud over Gaza war deepens

Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva says Gali Dagan should ‘at a minimum, apologize and leave’ for rebuking President Gustavo Petro, who compared IDF to Nazis during ongoing conflict.  

Ex-Mossad chief: Israel should not bow to global pressure to end Gaza siege

Yossi Cohen says world doesn’t understand that civilians in Strip also ‘took part in abominable murders of children, babies and women’; says water, basics should be allowed in.... 

Former Mossad chief Cohen said that Israel should not lift its siege on the Gaza Strip even as it faces a wave of international pressure to allow various goods into the enclave.

“In order for us to be able to [achieve our military goals] in Gaza, we need abilities and we need time,” Cohen told Kan public radio. “The element of time is critical — right now Gaza is under siege… and I have said we should not ‘blink’ on that.”

Cohen said he views the government’s decision on Sunday to restart water flow to the southern part of the Strip as “blinking… if it’s due to international pressure.”

“International pressure doesn’t understand that civilians from Gaza, civilians, not just Hamas terrorists… took part in the abominable murders of children, babies and women.”

Many Gazans, seemingly civilians, were seen in videos from the October 7 assault rushing through the border fence after the first wave of terrorist attackers had come through, taking part in looting and other activities near the border and within Israeli communities. There have been some reports that they too joined in murderous attacks on Israelis, though Jerusalem has not said so officially thus far.