Palestinian President Cancels Summit Appearance Following Gaza Hospital Tragedy

An airstrike on Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza resulted in hundreds of fatalities, fueling further tensions between Israel and various Arab and regional nations. While Gaza’s Hamas-run government blames Israel for the attack, the Israeli military asserts that Islamic Jihad is responsible for a “failed rocket launch” that hit the hospital.

The tragedy led Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel his appearance at a four-way summit in Jordan, where he was to meet King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and US President Joe Biden. Biden, who arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday morning, plans to discuss wartime strategies with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While Israel continues preparations for “the next stages of war,” according to army spokesperson Richard Hecht, fresh clashes broke out along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israel’s military chief, Herzi Halevi, issued a warning against further aggression from Hizbullah. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel in a show of solidarity.

The death toll in the ongoing conflict has risen to around 3,300 in Gaza and approximately 1,400 in Israel.