U.S. President Joe Biden's already fraught trip to Israel and Jordan got more complicated after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a strike on a Gaza hospital on Tuesday.
Palestinian authorities say Israel's military was responsible; Israeli authorities denied involvement in the strike, which occurred during a massive Israeli bombardment of the enclave and killed about 500.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas quickly canceled a planned meeting with Biden after the strike, then Jordan's King Abdullah canceled the entire summit that was supposed to bring Biden together with the Egyptian and Palestinian leaders.
Biden is expected to leave Washington within hours for the complex diplomatic mission, aimed at showing support for long-time U.S. ally Israel, calming the region and shoring up humanitarian efforts for Gaza.
What he can accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike and conflicting reports about responsibility for it was unclear.
"This sort of murky but horrific event makes diplomacy harder and increases escalation risks," said Richard Gowan, U.N. director at International Crisis Group.
"Biden's visit was meant to underline that the U.S. has a grip on the situation. A tragic incident like this shows how hard it is to keep the war in check.”
There was no immediate indication that Biden planned to put off the trip. He was orgininally expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, then fly to Amman, to meet Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Abbas.
The White House had no immediate comment about the summit cancellation.
Failure to meet with Abbas or any Palestinian official, while meeting Israelis on their soil, may undermine Biden's diplomatic message and draw critics at home and abroad. The U.S. is leaning heavily on Egypt to help with humanitarian efforts.
After the hospital blast, Biden's efforts to date in the Israel-Hamas war were criticized by U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.
More than 70 religious and activist groups, led by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest U.S. Muslim civil rights group, called on Biden to demand a ceasefire in Gaza during his visit.
