President Biden’s address on Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine this Thursday: when and how to watch

The White House has announced that President Joe Biden will deliver a speech from the Oval Office on Thursday. During his address, the President will discuss the latest developments in Israel and Palestine after his trip to the Middle East, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

“Tomorrow, President Biden will address the nation to discuss our response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel and Russia’s ongoing brutal war against Ukraine,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

The speech will be delivered from the Oval Office at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT/6:00 p.m. MT/7:00 p.m. CT). All cable news, broadcast networks, and online platforms, including the White House’s social media channels, will carry the speech live.

Speeches from the Oval Office are uncommon and used when the US President has essential news to share with the country. The only other occasion upon which Presidnet Biden addressed the country from the Oval Office was back in June after an agreement was reached on the debt ceiling.

Biden's trip to Israel

The president returned to Washington after a brief trip to Israel on Wednesday, where he met with Israeli leaders to show his support following the October 7 attacks, as well as announce the proportion of humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza. Meetings with Palestinian leaders, as well as the Heads of State of Egypt and Jordan, were canceled shortly before the trip. The White House has said that the president has been in contact with these leaders to coordinate humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

Humanitarian assistance should soon arrive to Gaza

Due to Israeli bombardments, the Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza and Egypt, cannot be opened, even though an agreement has been reached between Egypt and Israel. Outlets, including The New Republic and Al-Jazeera, have reported that there is evidence that Israel attacked the crossing, which, in addition to its opposition to opening up the crossing, has delayed the arrival of humanitarian materials. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the White House was aware that the crossing was “damaged” but that they did not know what had caused the issues.

Once the road is useable again, President Biden said that around “20 trucks [will be let] through to begin with,” the US Ambassador to Egpyt will also work to evacuate as many American citizens from Gaza when the crossing opens. However, no Palestinian refugees will be allowed to exit at this time, leaving the over two million residents of Gaza vulnerable as the humanitarian situation deteriorates under Israeli bombardment. According to the UN, more than 3,800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, and over a million are internally displaced in the small strip of land.

On Wednesday, the White House also announced that it would provide the Palestinian people, both those in Gaza and the West Bank, with $100 million in humanitarian assistance.

“This funding will help support over a million displaced and conflict-affected people with clean water, food, hygiene support, medical care, and other essential needs,” said the White House, adding that the air would be distributed “through trusted partners including UN agencies and international NGOs.”

“We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter,” reads the statement. However, until the Rafah crossing is officially opened, those living in Gaza will continue to suffer from the continuous Israeli military bombardment and the devastating consequences these actions have had on civilian infrastructure.