WASHINGTON Fresh off a visit to Israel following the Hamas terror attack that killed more than 1,300 Israelis, President Joe Biden pitched a $100 billion plan Thursday night to help both that country and Ukraine defend themselves as well as to provide humanitarian relief for the 2 million residents of Gaza.

I know these conflicts can seem far away. Its natural to ask, Why does this matter to America? Let me share with you why making sure Israel and Ukraine succeed is vital for Americas national security, Biden said from the Oval Office in the White House, only his second such address of his presidency.

History has taught us that when terrorists dont pay a price for their terror, when dictators dont pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. They keep going, and the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising, he said.

While Biden has, many times over the past year and a half, explained his rationale for supporting Ukraine in its efforts to fight Russias invasion, this was his first time to do so in a prime-time speech.

In it, he drew parallels between Hamas and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to make his case for military help for Israel and Ukraine. Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy, Biden said.

He said he would send Congress an urgent budget request on Friday to fund Americas national security needs.

Its a smart investment thats going to pay dividends for American security for generations, he said.

Biden detailed both his trip to Israel on Wednesday as well as his journey to Ukraine eight months earlier. He again emphasized his insistence in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel must abide by the laws of war as it carries out its military actions against Hamas, which meant safeguarding Palestinian civilians who are also victims of the terror group. Israel has been pummeling Gaza with airstrikes for the past week and a half and is expected to launch a ground offensive there in the coming days.

We mourn every innocent life lost. We cant ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace, he said.

He also reminded his audience of the tactics Russian soldiers have used against Ukrainians since the invasion began. Weve not forgotten the mass graves. The bodies found bearing signs of torture. Rape used as a weapon by the Russians, and thousands and thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly taken into Russia, stolen from their parents, he said. Its sick.

And Biden cautioned Americans against both antisemitism as well as Islamophobia at home amid so much anger, recounting the story of Wadea Al Fayoume, a 6-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in a Chicago suburb last week.

A little boy here in the United States, a little boy who just turned 6 years old, was murdered in their home outside of Chicago, Biden said. His name was Wadea. Wadea, a proud American, a proud Palestinian American family. We cant stand by and stand silent when this happens.