Saudi officials have firmly warned the United States in recent days that an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza could be catastrophic for the Middle East. One Biden administration official said it was evident that the Saudis did not want an Israeli invasion of Gaza.  Essentials like water and fuel are increasingly scarce as Israel bombards and besieges the enclave in response to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that rules Gaza.

The United States has repeatedly asserted Israel’s right to self-defense since the Hamas attack that killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. At the same time, Mr. Biden asked Israel to delay the invasion, U.S. officials have said, for a range of reasons, including buying more time for hostage negotiations, getting more humanitarian aid into Gaza and doing better war planning.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-israel-us-invasion.html