Joe Biden says Hamas and Putin ‘want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy’

US President Joe Biden used a prime time address from the Oval Office to make the case for deepening military assistance for Israel and Ukraine to help them succeed in their wars.

“Hamas and Putin represent different threats,” he said. “But they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy.”

If international aggression is allowed to continue, Mr Biden said, “conflict and chaos could spread in other parts of the world.”

The US president said he would send an urgent funding request to Congress, which is expected to be roughly $105bn over the next year.

“It’s a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations,” he said.

The proposal includes $60bn for Ukraine, $14bn for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian efforts, $14bn for managing the US-Mexico border and fighting fentanyl trafficking and $7bn for the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan, according to the Associated Press.

Mr Biden opened his speech saying: “We’re facing an inflection point in history. One of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come”.

Earlier, military sources told i that Israel has made a $10bn (£8.2bn) plea to Mr Biden for urban warfare drones and precision missiles as it prepares for its offensive in the Hamas tunnels of Gaza.

It is understood that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the plea during talks with President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

Mr Biden’s address also came after the US urged its citizens who are travelling abroad to “exercise increased caution”.

The State Department said its citizens in other countries should take care due to “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, and demonstrations or violent actions against US citizens and interests”.

It also urged all Americans overseas to “stay alert in locations frequented by tourists”.