Iconic rock band the B-52s will no longer perform at a White House dinner for Australia’s premier due to the “sorrow” of the Israel-Hamas conflict, First Lady Jill Biden said Tuesday.

The band, best known for the 1989 hit “Love Shack”, was scheduled to play at the state dinner for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday hosted by President Joe Biden.

“While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain, and we have decided to make adjustments to the entertainment portion of the evening,” Jill Biden told reporters.

The New Wave band, named after a US bomber aircraft but more famous for their beehive hairdos, will still attend the state dinner but as guests, she added.

Presidential military bands will provide “instrumental music” instead.

Jill Biden made the announcement during a preview for the dinner, which will feature a guest chef, dishes including sarsaparilla-braised short ribs, and design featuring US and Australian elements.

Albanese arrived at the White House on Tuesday ahead of a formal state visit on Wednesday when he is expected to discuss topics including China, Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas war.

In a sharp warning to Hamas, which now has around 220 hostages according to Israel, the Israel Defence Forces said: “If your will is to live in peace and to have a better future for your children, do the humanitarian deed immediately and share verified and valuable information about hostages being held in your area.””The Israeli military assures you that it will invest maximum effort in providing security for you and your home, and you will receive a financial reward. We guarantee you complete confidentiality,” it said, sharing contact details for anyone with information to come forward.Hamas has begun releasing hostages, with two Israeli women being freed on Monday, days after two American women. The group is likely to release another 50 hostages soon, according to media reports.The Israel army, fighting the war on multiple fronts, on Wednesday said that it struck military infrastructure inside Syria in response to earlier launches towards Israel on Tuesday. The forces in an overnight raid in the West Bank came under fire by a group of Palestinians, who were then targeted with a drone strike, the Israeli military said, reported news agency Reuters, adding that two Palestinians were killed, medics said.The IDF on Tuesday announced that the personnel marshalling on the country’s southern border is ready to ‘invade’ Gaza, news agency AFP reported, citing The Jerusalem Post. “I want to be clear, we are ready to invade,” IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi said.Israel has been threatening to launch a ground offensive on the Strip in addition to the airstrikes, but it has yet to announce a timeline for the attack. The chief of staff said the IDF is in the process of deciding the ‘exact timing’ of the ground invasion of Gaza with Israel’s politicians.Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel has only one task – crushing Hamas – and that it will not stop until the group is completely dismantled. “With the fighters in the field, we have only one task — to crush Hamas, and we will not stop until we complete the task,” the PM stated.US President Joe Biden, asked whether he has urged Israel to delay its ground offensive, said that Israel can make its own decisions, as the US firmly backs its ally while urging caution, reported news agency PTI.The raging war could deal a heavy blow to the global economy, banking titans told an investment forum in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The dour mood from some of the gathering’s most high-profile speakers underscored how the conflict threatens attempts by the world’s biggest oil exporter to diversify its economy away from fossil fuels, reported AFP.Hamas operatives stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people and taking over 220 people hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 5,700 Palestinians have been killed across the blockaded coastal enclave in retaliatory Israeli bombardments, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

India has sent 38 tonnes of food and critical medical equipment to the Gaza Strip, reeling under Israel’s blistering retaliatory bombings, Ambassador R Ravindra, the Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) to the United Nations said while representing India at the UN Security Council’s open debate on the “situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.

“India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian goods, including medicines and equipment, to the people of Palestine. We also urge the parties to work towards creating conditions necessary for peace and for restarting direct negotiations, including through de-escalation and issuing violence,” Mr Ravindra said.

“The escalation of our utilities in the region has only exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation,” he said, adding, “It has once again underscored the fragile nature of the ceasefire.”

“In these challenging times, India will continue to send humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine,” he said.

Gaza has reported massive casualties as Israel continues to bomb the coastal enclave from where Hamas launched the October 7 Sabbath attack, firing a barrage of over 5,000 rockets at Israel.

Noting that India has condemned the terror attack unequivocally, the deputy permanent envoy to the UN said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first global leaders to convey his condolences over the loss of lives and “prayers for the innocent victims and their families”.

“We stood in solidarity with Israel at their moment of crisis when they were facing these terror attacks,” he added.

“We have also expressed deep shock at the tragic loss of lives at the Al Hali hospital in Gaza, where several hundreds of civilian casualties have occurred and thousands injured. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said.

Outlining that PM Modi said that those involved in the attack “must be held responsible”, R Ravindra said India is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation and the massive loss of civilian lives in the ongoing war. “The mounting humanitarian crisis is equally alarming.”

Welcoming the resumption of the movement of aid into Gaza, R Ravindra said, “The unfolding humanitarian crisis needs to be addressed. We welcome the efforts of the international community for de-escalation and delivery of humanitarian goods to the people of Gaza.”

The deputy envoy reaffirmed India’s support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and said this could lead to the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side in peace with Israel, taking into account the legitimate security concerns of Israel.

“We reiterate the need for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations. We also continue to support the Palestinian people through our bilateral development partnership, which covers a wide range of sectors including health, education, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and information technology,” R Ravindra said.

He said the current escalation of the conflict has underscored the need for immediate resumption of credible and direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

“Every effort must be made to create conducive conditions for the resumption of these talks. We welcome all efforts of regional and global players aimed towards restoring normalcy,” he said.

(With input from ANI)