Today’s news summary – Paper Talk 

Paper Talk: Biden backs Israel over hospital blast

Most of Thursday’s newspapers continue their coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. The front pages pick up on several comments made by US President Joe Biden during his visit to Israel. 

Biden has insisted the bombing of a Gaza hospital was not from Israel and was most likely a Hamas misfire. Many of the papers also pick up on Biden’s plea to not repeat the same mistakes the US did after 9/11. 

Biden backs Israel 

The Times says Joe Biden has given his private backing for Israel to send troops into Gaza. The paper says he urged a modicum of restraint but told Israel’s prime minister, Benjamini Netanyahu, that he fully supported a ground invasion. 

The i newspaper reports that the SAS is preparing to assist Israel’s elite forces in any rescue attempt of nine British civilians being held by Hamas in Gaza. 

The Daily Telegraph leads on Biden’s warning to Israel to not repeat mistakes made by America after 9/11. The Daily Mirror carries the warning next to a picture of a boy who was injured in the hospital blast in Gaza.

The Guardian says “Don’t be consumed by rage”. The Sun reports on Biden’s support for Israel’s claim that the hospital was hit from inside Gaza.

The Daily Express uses a still from a video which the paper says appears to prove the theory the hospital blast was a misfire from Hamas. 

The Times’ editorial argues the US president made a good start to calming tensions as Israel will now allow aid into Gaza. But a Guardian columnist says the fact that Arab leaders have refused to meet Joe Biden is a sign of America’s diminishing power. 

The Guardian’s editorial says Russia is keen to keep the US’ attention on the Middle East – as some Americans argue they cannot afford to support two wars. It also says Russia will want to capitalise on what looks like a glaring disparity – with attacks on civilian infrastructure being condemned in Ukraine, but not in Gaza.