The escalating situation in Israel and Gaza after the Hamas attack has President Joe Biden set to return to the White House Friday following a brief trip to his home state, following a week that has been dominated national security challenges.

It will the latest of several consecutive weekends where the president stayed home. On Saturday, the day Hamas terrorist rampaged across parts of Israel, the president addressed the nation from the White House at the start of a tumultuous period.

That will come after a day where Biden is set to hold emotional conversations via zoom with family members of those held captive in Gaza, as the Israel Defense Force made preparations for a possible ground invasion of Gaza. Hamas has claimed 13 hostages of unknown nationalities died amid a series of Israeli air strikes.

Biden spoke to CBS ’60 Minutes’ about the push to recover Americans following the brutal Saturday attack.

President Joe Biden spoke about the ‘barbarism’ of the Hamas attack. Is is expected to speak with family members of Americans taken hostage on Friday

‘I think they have to know that the president of the United States of America cares deeply about what’s happening. Deeply. We have to communicate to the world (that) this is critical,’ he said. 

‘This is not even human behavior. It’s pure barbarism,’ Biden said in a clip that aired Friday in advance of the Sunday broadcast.

‘We’re going to do everything in our power to get them home if we can find them,’ Biden said.

Biden told Jewish leaders at the White House on Wednesday that ‘I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home.’ 

Biden will spend the weekend at the White House. Israel has continued to fend off rocket attacks with its Iron Dome system

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President Joe Biden walks along the colonnade with Becky Chong towards the Rose Garden to deliver remarks at the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, October 11, 2023. Biden began his remarks with the war between Gaza and Israel and pivoted to protecting consumers from hidden junk fees 

Israel has pounded Gaza with air strikes

The call with families is expected Friday, CNN reported.

Biden has about three hours on his schedule at a Delaware National Guard Base as well as a block of time in the morning. 

Even amid that solemn task, Biden will once again try to break through and inject parts of his domestic agenda into the national conversation. This time he will speak in Philadelphia about ‘Bidenomics’ and creating ‘good paying jobs’ and ‘building a clean energy future,’ according to the White House. It comes following a series of positive jobs reports.

Biden on Tuesday used the White House Rose Garden to tout a new proposed rule to crack down on hidden ‘junk fees’ for concert tickets, hotel and rental car purchases – but had to begin his remarks with yet another development on the grim situation in Israel.

The White House on Thursday confirmed the US death toll since the Hamas attack had risen to 27, with 14 Americans now missing, and less than a handful believed to be in captivity. 

Biden was also at the White House the weekend of Sept. 30th after a trip to Arizona, and the weekend of Sept. 23, when he spoke at a convention. 

He typically likes to return to his Wilmington home or his Rehoboth, Delaware beach house on weekends.