J oe Biden was on Tuesday preparing to embark on a high stakes visit to Israel and Jordan to reaffirm America’s full backing for action targeting terror group Hamas while seeking to avert a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and avoid an explosive wider regional conflict. The US president’s visit to the Middle East on Wednesday was announced just over a week after more than 1,400 Israelis were slaughtered by Hamas fanatics in Islamic State-style rampages, with babies and children among those killed, at least 3,000 more injured, and nearly 200 individuals seized as hostages. The White House stressed his...