Biden spoke from the Oval Office on the heels of returning from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. There have been more than 3,700 fatalities in Gaza, about 1,400 in Israel and 79 in the West Bank as of Thursday, with thousands more injured in each, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"The assault on Israel echoes nearly 20 months of war, tragedy and brutality inflicted on the people of Ukraine" since Russia invaded, the president said. "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy."
Biden said the funding request, which he did not give a number for, would benefit the security of the United States and the rest of the world.
For Israel, the security package "will sharpen Israel's qualitative military edge" by making sure "the Iron Dome continues to guard the skies" and that "other hostile actors in the region know that Israel [is] stronger than ever."
He also noted that while in Israel on Wednesday he secured an agreement for the first shipment of humanitarian aid from the United Nations to Gaza.
"[If] Hamas does not divert or steal this shipment ... we're going to provide an opening for sustained delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians."
Biden administration officials have been repeatedly asking for more funding for Ukraine. Such funding was stripped from the continuing resolution enacted on Sept. 30 to keep the government open.
Earlier on Thursday, the Senate voted 97-0 on a resolution to show their support for Israel and condemn the attacks by Hamas. Also, ahead of Biden's address, nine Senate Republicans wrote to Senate leadership urging them to keep the Israel and Ukraine aid separate.
"These are two separate and unrelated conflicts and it would be wrong to leverage support of aid to Israel in attempt to get additional aid for Ukraine across the finish line," they wrote. "Furthermore, it would be irresponsible and we should not risk a government shutdown by bundling these priorities together and thus complicating the process and lessening the likelihood of a funding package."
The request for Congress comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is still without a speaker, and both chambers are staring down a Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government.
--Editing by Dave Trumbore.
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