“Responding to humanitarian issues in the region is Biden’s top priority.”
With an all-out ground war between the Palestinian armed faction Hamas and Israel imminent, the Joe Biden administration has appointed a special envoy to take charge of humanitarian issues in the Middle East.
The U.S. State Department announced in a statement on the 15th (local time) that it had nominated former Turkish Ambassador David Satterfield as special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues.
This nomination was made amid assessments that a ground war was imminent as Israel gathered 360,000 ground reserve forces near Gaza and recommended the evacuation of civilians.
The State Department said, “Special Envoy Satterfield will lead U.S. diplomatic authorities’ response to the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including providing relief support to vulnerable residents and promoting civilian safety.”
Special Envoy Satterfield, who served as Ambassador to Turkey from 2019 to 2022, has had diplomatic experience since 1980. Before being appointed ambassador to Turkey, he served as a senior advisor at the State Department and as the State Department’s coordinator for Iraq.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, “Special Envoy Satterfield’s diplomatic experience and experience dealing with challenging global conflicts will be important in responding to humanitarian issues in the region, which is President Biden’s top priority.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer visited Israel with a bipartisan congressional delegation. He said through social media X (formerly Twitter) that day, “I had a productive meeting with Israeli leaders.”
The Senate delegation, including floor leader Schumer, met with the families of victims, missing people, and those held hostage who lost their lives in Hamas attacks, expressed support, and met with other high-ranking Israeli officials.
“America stands with the people of Israel,” he said. “I will lead a coalition in the United States Senate to provide Israel with what it needs to defend itself against this monstrous attack.”
Benny Gantz, head of the National Unity Party of Israel, also posted a message to
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.