Joe Biden reiterates 'no shift in commitment to Israel's security'; backs two-state plan

Reiterating USA's continued diplomacy towards both Israel and Palestine, US President Joe Biden on Saturday, said that there is no shift in his commitment to the security of Israel. But he added that the shift is that a two-state solution is the only answer to the century-old issue. As of date, atleast 232 people have died in Gaza as a result of the Israeli bombing including 65 children and 12 in Israel in the 11-day war which ended in a ceasefire on Friday morning.

Biden: 'No shift in commitment to Israel'

"There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel. Period. No shift, not at all. But I'll tell you where the shift is. We still need a two-state solution. It is the only answer," said Biden at a press conference. Biden has already assured his full support to Israel in restoring Israel’s Iron Dome Air Defense System which intercepted almost  4,000 rockets fired at Israel by Hamas from Gaza. 

Additionally, Biden also promised to provide rapid humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance to Gaza residents, who have been left scrounging for their belongings in the rubble. US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken spoke with his counterparts in Israel and Palestine and will be traveling to the region in the coming days to hold talks with both parties. India has condemned the firing from and into Gaza causing the deaths of a number of civilians - including one Indian and extended support to all diplomatic efforts to bring the ongoing violence to an end.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire

On early Friday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet approved a unilateral ceasefire to halt an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip, according to AP. Shortly after this, Hamas confirmed via a spokesperson that it too would enter into a ceasefire and truce. Recently, Israel had lashed out at Hamas at the UNGA, equating it to ISIS and accused a number of nations of 'demonising Israel'  and of 'anti-semitism disguised as anti-Zionism'.

The tensions began in east Jerusalem earlier this month, when Palestinians protested attempts by settlers to forcibly evict a number of Palestinian families from their homes and Israeli police measures at Al-Aqsa Mosque, a frequent flashpoint located on a mount in the Old City revered by Muslims and Jews. Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem late Monday, triggering the Israeli assault on Gaza. Since then, Hamas has fired more than 4,000 rockets, though most have either fallen short or been intercepted by anti-missile defenses. Israel's warplanes and artillery have struck hundreds of targets around blockaded Gaza, where some 2 million Palestinians live. On Saturday, the 12-story al-Jalaa Building, where the offices of the AP, the TV network Al-Jazeera and other media outlets are located was razed to the ground by an Israeli rocket strike citing 'Hamas operation inside the building'. With Israel being shielded by its Iron Dome - the Israeli air defence system which chases Hamas' short-range rockets, its fatalities have remained at 12, including one Indian - Soumya Santhosh - a Kerala caretaker.