The Biden administration recently halted an arms shipment to Israel due to concerns that the country could launch a large-scale attack on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza – a move the US strongly opposed.
The shipment would include about 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, a senior administration official told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
More than a million civilians have taken shelter in Rafah after being forced to evacuate other areas of Gaza due to the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The US has expressed concerns about the Israeli military’s use of larger explosives in the dense, urban area.
Israeli officials discussed the reason for the pause, according to Axios, which first reported the shipping delay last week.
The news comes after the Biden administration committed $26 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Israel, continuing a series of strong support for Israel against the militant group. In a recent statement to The Hill, the National Security Council said support has not changed.
“The United States has increased billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel since the October 7 attacks, approved the largest-ever supplemental appropriation for emergency assistance to Israel, led an unprecedented coalition to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, and will continue to do what is necessary to ensure that Israel can defend itself from the threats it faces,” said an NSC spokesperson
Israel began “targeted strikes” in eastern Rafah on Monday night, despite concerns among many about how military action in the city could affect civilians sheltering there.
Israel also gained control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, which is the only entry point between the territory and Egypt and essential for the flow of humanitarian assistance.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
The Associated Press contributed.
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