In a solemn Jewish ceremony of mourning at the White House, US President Joe Biden lit a candle while a rabbi chanted a prayer for the victims, calling for peace even as the Middle East teeters on the edge of all-out war, AFP reports.

“Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict,” Biden, who has backed key ally Israel with billions of dollars in arms, said in a statement.

The president lashed out at the “unspeakable brutality” of the attacks and said he and Harris were “fully committed” to Israel’s security against Iran and its alleged regional allies — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.