Biden meeting with Mideast leaders called off after deadly hospital explosion

Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President Joe Biden no longer will meet with some Mideast leaders after a summit was abruptly canceled late Tuesday after a hospital in Gaza was destroyed, killing what is believed to be hundreds of Palestinians.

Hamas blamed Israel for the deadly attack, but IDF leaders said they have evidence the explosion was caused by an errant rocket launched from within Gaza.

Before Tuesday's deadly blast, Biden, who already is on his way toward Israel, had planned to meet on Wednesday with Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmound Abbas.

Those meetings won't take place now.

"I spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu of Israel and have directed my national security team to continue gathering information about what exactly happened," Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

The decision to cancel that leg of the trip came in response to the deadly bombing of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital hospital in Gaza, in which officials said between 200 and 300 people were killed.

"There is no use in talking now about anything except stopping the war," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on state television.

Biden has been vocal in his support for Israel.

"The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy," Biden continued.

Biden "sent his deepest condolences for the innocent lives lost in the hospital explosion in Gaza, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded," a White House official told CNBC.

In its statement, the White House also cited "the days of mourning announced by President Abbas" for victims of the hospital attack.

Hamas militants blamed Israel for the hospital attack, but a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces, Daniel Magario, denied Israel was responsible and said Israeli authorities have evidence to prove it.