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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appeared to rebuff the Biden administration’s request, saying that any cease-fire would be contingent on the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reiterated that Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas, but pushed for the protection of Palestinian civilians in its military campaign.
The Republican-led House approved $14.3 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, tying the aid to spending cuts. The Senate plans to craft its own bill that will include aid for Ukraine and Gaza.
The vice president plans to flesh out a sweeping executive order President Biden signed this week and push toward global standards at a summit in London.
By splitting money for Israel’s war effort from aid to Ukraine and coupling it with spending cuts, Speaker Mike Johnson has put the House on a collision course with the Senate and President Biden.
The vote reflected deep partisan divisions over Jacob Lew’s nomination, which nearly all Senate Republicans voted against.
A Defense Department official, Christopher P. Maier, declined to say how many U.S. Special Operations forces were currently in Israel. But other U.S. officials say the Defense Department has dispatched several dozen commandos in recent days.
The administration has become more critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks, a shift that U.S. officials attribute to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Before the state dinner was over, President Biden had stepped out for a briefing on a mass shooting in Maine and to call lawmakers in the state. He left shortly after 10 p.m.
The kingdom is embracing business as usual, hosting an investment forum, concerts and even fashion shows. But grief, fear and outrage over Israel’s bombardment of Gaza simmer just below the surface.