A White House official has disclosed that the United States has paused the shipment of bombs to Israel last week due to concerns over a potential ground operation in Rafah, southern Gaza. The move comes despite the Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel.
According to the official, the pause in the shipment, which consisted of 1,800 2,000lb (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs, was based on unresolved issues regarding the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah.
The official stated that Israel has not “fully addressed” the US concerns on the plight of the people in Rafah. This comes as Israel has sent tanks to Rafah to begin a major ground operation and seized some key crossing areas, even as Hamas accepts ceasefire deals brokered in Egypt.
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The White House administration official said, “The US position has been that Israel should not launch a major ground operation in Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering with nowhere else to go.” The official added that the US has been engaging in a dialogue with Israel on how to meet the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah and operate differently against Hamas there than in other parts of Gaza.
As a result of the review, the US has paused one shipment of weapons to Israel last week. The official stressed that the shipments were unrelated to last month’s landmark $17 billion military aid package, but had been drawn from “previously appropriated funds.”
The move by the US to halt the bomb shipment to Israel highlights the ongoing tensions and concerns over the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Gaza. The situation in Rafah, where a large population is sheltering with limited options, has become a particular focus of the US administration’s efforts to address the humanitarian needs of civilians.
