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This is The World in Brief from the Economist.

Our top stories. Rishi Sunak, Britain's Prime Minister, confirmed that he will travel to Israel

and other unspecified Middle Eastern countries in a two-day visit starting on Thursday.

He said that he will urge regional leaders to avoid, quote, further, dangerous escalation.

His American counterpart, President Joe Biden, concluded his own trip to Tel Aviv on Wednesday,

where he appeared to secure an agreement from Israel to allow aid relief to enter Gaza

through Egypt and announced $100 million in humanitarian aid for Palestinians. He said he

hoped to provide, quote, unprecedented aid to Israel, though the size of the package has not been

released. Earlier, Mr. Biden and America's National Security Council backed Israel's assertion

that a misfired rocket shot by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a militant group, caused an explosion

at a hospital in Gaza City. Hamas blamed Israeli forces for the strike, which Palestinian

officials claimed killed hundreds of people. The blast sparked protests which continued on Wednesday

in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as well as several Arab countries.

Jim Jordan lost a second vote to become Speaker of America's House of Representatives,

securing even less support from fellow Republicans than he managed in the first.

22 Republicans and all 212 Democrats supported other candidates, leaving Mr. Jordan with

199 votes short of the 217 he needed to clinch the position. The House has been without a permanent

speaker since October 3rd. America's 10-year Treasury yield closed at 4.9%, a 16-year high.

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