Prince Khalid bin Salman’s Scheduled White House Visit During Gaza War

Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman is set to meet with top Biden Administration officials in Washington on Monday, amid escalating violence in Gaza. His preplanned visit aligns with Israel’s intensification of ground operations against Hamas. Prince Khalid will hold discussions with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and several senators. The meetings follow a call last Tuesday between US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, focusing on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the US aiming to prevent further escalation. Saudi Arabia has criticized the civilian impact and asked if there are breaches of international law in Gaza. Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 and has sent thousands of rockets into Israel since then, leading to significant casualties—and raising concerns over the potential normalization deal that was to have been drafted between Israel and Saudi Arabia.