Biden meets with Israel’s Herzog as U.S. presses Israel for more aid to Gaza

President Biden is meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House Tuesday, as the two leaders discuss the conflict with Lebanon, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the hostages still held by Hamas. 

The meeting is only on the schedule for an hour, ahead of a scheduled lunch with Vice President Kamala Harris. The president will also be meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Tuesday afternoon. 

The Biden administration is hoping to further peace goals before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s spoken multiple times in the last week with Trump. 

Mr. Biden welcomed Herzog to the Oval Office, declining to take questions from reporters. Herzog brought Mr. Biden a gift, an artifact from the foot of Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 

Herzog lamented the death of two Israelis who were killed in the Israeli city of Nahariya by rockets fired from Lebanon and described Iran as an “evil empire.” 

“First and foremost we have to get the hostages back,” Herzog said. 

Israel’s government must meet a deadline Wednesday to boost aid to Gaza or face consequences. In October, the Biden administration warned Israel it must significantly increase the amount of aid reaching Gaza’s population, or it would face restrictions on U.S. military support. The ultimatum was detailed in a letter to Netanyahu.