Protests have erupted across the Middle East following an explosion at the al-Ahli Gaza hospital which officials there say killed at least 500 people.
Late last night, the powerful armed Lebanon-based group, Hezbollah, called for a day of “unprecedented anger” in protest against Israel and Joe Biden’s visit.
The group accused Israel of attacking the al Ahli Hospital, where Gaza’s health ministry said at least 500 people have died in an explosion.
Israel has denied responsibility, accusing the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group of misfiring a rocket launch, while the Islamic Jihad has denied any involvement.
This is as U.S. President Joe Biden landed in Israel Wednesday morning. And as soon as he stepped off Air Force One, he was greeted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the pair embracing, patting his counterpart on the back.
They later spoke to journalists, with the Israeli Prime Minister describing Hamas as the “new Nazis.”
He says Mr Biden’s visit is the first time a U.S. President has travelled to Israel “at a time of war” and calls it “deeply moving.”
Biden told journalists that saying America will make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.
According to Biden: “We have to bear in mind that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. I am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion in the hospital in Gaza yesterday.
“And based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you,” he tells Mr Netanyahu.
“But there’s a lot of people out there who are not sure, so we have got to overcome a lot of things,” the U.S. President added.
Protests erupted overnight in the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and outside the US embassy in Lebanon where tear gas was fired.
“The attack reveals the true criminal face of this entity [Israel] and its sponsor… the United States, which bears direct and complete responsibility for this massacre,” said Hezbollah.
A general strike has been held by Palestinians in the West Bank, the larger of the Palestinian territories.
They were mourning the deaths of those killed in an explosion at the al Alhi hospital in Gaza.
Protests were held in the West Bank on Tuesday evening, with demonstrators hurling stones at security forces who fired back with stun grenades.
This is a “dangerous moment” for the Middle East, regardless of who was responsible, says Sky News Middle East Correspondent, Alistar Bunkall.
This could be a “turning point” in the conflict, he suggests.
Will allies of Israel tell the government to “reign it in” or is “the genie out of the bottle,” opening new fronts in Lebanon, the West Bank or Iraq?
In Iraq, US forces reportedly downed two suicide drones near one of their bases this morning.
“This is why what is happening in Gaza is so dangerous for the wider region,” said Bunkall.
Joe Biden will now have to “carefully calibrate” his messaging in Israel this morning, in order to tread the line between support for Israel and “ensuring that there is no further loss of civilian life” and that the conflict does not spread.
