President Joe Biden has warned Israel in his toughest public comments yet that the United States would stop supplying it with some weapons if Israel invades the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Yeah Israeli forces launch an all-out assault on the city, the last major Hamas stronghold in the besieged enclave, the American president stated that “we are not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used, which have been used.”
In an interview with cnnBiden acknowledged that Israel has used American weapons that have killed civilians in Loop during its seven-month offensive aimed at destroying Hamas.
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It comes after his decision last week to suspend a shipment of 2,000-pound heavy bombs to Israel over concerns about an imminent attack on Rafah, following public and private warnings from his administration.
“Civilians have died in Gaza as a result of those bombs and other ways in which they attack population centers,” Biden told CNN.
“I made it clear that if they go to Rafah – they haven’t gone to Rafah yet – if they go to Rafah, I will not provide them with the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, which deal with that problem.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the weapons delay Wednesday, saying the U.S. stopped “a shipment of high-payload munitions.”
“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said.
“But having said that, we are currently reviewing some short-term security assistance shipments in the context of the events unfolding in Rafah.”
Israel carried out military operations in Rafah earlier this week in what he described as “targeted attacks.”
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Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli attack on a house in Rafah. Photo: Reuters
Palestinians wait to receive food cooked at a charity kitchen in Rafah. Photo: Reuters
Death toll increases
Nearly 34,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed so far in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The war began when Hamas swept into Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 more, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity, according to Israeli counts.
Palestinians flee Rafah. Photos: Reuters
The United States will continue to supply defensive systems.
Biden told CNN that the United States would continue to provide defensive systems to Israel, including its Iron Dome defense system.
“We will continue to ensure that Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and its ability to respond to attacks that have recently emerged from the Middle East,” he said.
“But it’s wrong. We’re not going to… we’re not going to supply weapons or artillery shells.”
It comes as the Biden administration is due to issue a formal verdict this week, the first of its kind, on whether Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid have violated US and international law.
A decision against Israel would put more pressure on Biden to limit the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.
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