Christie's urgent trip to Israel amid ongoing conflict with Hamas

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate, will visit Israel on Sunday, becoming the first GOP candidate to do so since the October 7 Hamas attacks. Christie plans to meet with families of people kidnapped by Hamas, as well as Israeli government officials and IDF soldiers. He will also visit the Gaza envelope region. Christie has emphasized US leadership on the world stage and urged Israel to protect its territorial integrity and civilians. He has called for improved intelligence-gathering in the region and closer cooperation with "reasonable" Arab nations while isolating Iran. Christie's visit follows President Joe Biden's recent trip to Israel.