“We suspended the delivery of a shipment of weapons last week. Consists of 1,800 907-kilogram bombs and 1,700 226-kilogram bombs“, stated the leader of the North American Administration, on condition of not being identified.
“We have not yet made a final decision on how to proceed with this shipment,” he added.
This resolution was taken at a time when Washington is opposing a major offensive planned by Israeli troops in Rafah.
Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, an Israeli leader did not confirm any specific delay in weapons supplies, but appeared to take the reports in stride: “As the prime minister has already said, if we have to fight with our nails, then we will whatever we have to do.”
Washington has made clear that it does not support an offensive without a credible plan to protect civilians who have taken refuge in Rafah. Joe Biden “reiterated his clear position” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Monday.
Israeli and American officials discussed alternatives, but “these discussions are ongoing and have not fully addressed our concerns”, highlighted the leader.
“As the Israeli leadership appeared to be moving closer to a decision on this operation, we began to look closely at proposals for specific weapons transfers to Israel that could be used in Rafah. This started in April“, he explained.
According to the head of Joe Biden’s administration, Washington was “particularly focused” on the use of the heavier 907-kilo bombs “and the impact they could have in dense urban environments, as we saw in other parts of the Gaza Strip”.
The US State Department is also examining other weapons transfers, including the use of precision bombs known as JDAMs (remotely guided bombs), he added.
According to Reuters, the shipments, which have been delayed for at least two weeks, involved joint direct attack munitions manufactured by Boeing, which convert normal bombs into precision-guided bombs, as well as small-diameter bombs.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army placed tanks in Rafah (south), took control of the border crossing with Egypt and closed the two main access points for humanitarian aid (Rafah and Kerem Shalom), a measure considered “unacceptable” by the U.S.
Republicans have already criticized the decision. US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday denounced any move aimed at limiting military aid to Israel.Without answering whether there was a delay in the shipment of weapons, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierrere stated that Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security is “unwavering”.
The Pentagon had said on Monday that there had been no political decision not to supply arms to Israel, America’s closest ally in the Middle East.
Still, the delays appear to be the first since the Biden administration offered its full support to Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which killed about 1,200 people with about 250 others kidnapped, of whom 133 are considered unfit. to remain in Gaza, according to Israeli calculations.
Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas led to a seven-month military campaign that killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The conflict has also left many of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents on the brink of starvation and sparked protests in the US, demanding that Biden withdraw support for Israel – including arms supplies.
w/ international agencies
