According to a report by the Washington Post on Friday, the United States has approved the delivery of a significant arms package to Israel. This move comes amidst political tensions and concerns over a potential Israeli military operation in Rafah, a densely populated area in Gaza. The package includes nearly 2,300 bombs of various sizes and 25 advanced F-35A fighter jets, with the deal valued at approximately $2.5 billion. These arms transfers are part of the ongoing military support the US provides to Israel, amounting to over $3 billion annually, and were previously sanctioned by Congress, eliminating the need for further notification.
This arms transfer is happening at a time when there is international concern over the escalating death toll in Gaza, which recently surpassed 32,000 according to Palestinian health officials. The increase in casualties comes amid efforts by Israel to counter the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has carried out attacks against Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces have reportedly utilized these heavy bombs in operations targeting Gaza’s Jabalia and Al-Shati refugee camps, leading to significant loss of life and destruction. The United Nations has criticized these actions as potentially constituting war crimes due to their disproportionate impact.
Despite these concerns, the US maintains that Israel has assured them of using the military aid in compliance with international law, a position supported by the State Department. However, the relationship between the US and Israel has shown signs of strain, especially after the US did not veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, a move that led Israel to cancel a scheduled high-level visit to the US.
The contention largely revolves around Rafah, where Israel has indicated a possible ground operation could occur, despite international and US appeals to refrain from such actions due to the high risk of civilian casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the necessity of military action in Rafah to dismantle Hamas’ presence, amidst warnings from the UN and other international entities about the potential humanitarian consequences.
