The Biden administration has communicated its intention to allocate over $1 billion in military equipment to Israel, as disclosed by officials.
According to Reuters news agency, the proposed package encompasses tank rounds, mortars, and armored tactical vehicles.
This plan, as confirmed by a congressional aide to CBS, the BBC’s US partner, is pending approval by lawmakers.
President Joe Biden previously articulated his stance, asserting that he would cease weapons shipments to Israel in the event of a significant incursion into the Gaza city of Rafah.
Reports from Palestinians informed Reuters that Israeli tanks have moved further into residential zones of southeastern Rafah.
Biden mentioned last week that the dispatch of 2,000lb (900kg) bombs to Israel had been delayed due to concerns about their potential utilization in ground operations.
In response to questions from CNN regarding the postponement, Biden highlighted the civilian casualties resulting from the use of such bombs in Gaza.
This proposed arms package to Congress marks the first since the Biden administration paused arms transfers to Israel. It includes $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million for tactical vehicles, and $60 million for mortar rounds, as reported by the Associated Press.
Last Friday, a report from the US State Department suggested that some American-made weapons supplied to Israel might have been used in violation of international law.
Although the report criticized certain Israeli actions in Gaza, it refrained from definitively stating that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) campaign had breached international law.
The report also indicated that the assurances received from Israel regarding the lawful use of US weapons were deemed “credible and reliable.”
In the previous month, Congress passed legislation allocating $95 billion in aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
The issue of weapons transfers to Israel has become politically contentious for President Biden in the lead-up to the 2024 White House election.
Coinciding with the conclusion of voting in a presidential primary election in Maryland, news of the latest arms package surfaced.
Activists had encouraged voters to express dissent through protest ballots, citing what they perceived as Biden’s biased stance favoring Israel during the Gaza conflict.
Republican legislators in Congress have introduced a bill aimed at preventing further halts in weapons shipments to the US ally.
The House of Representatives is slated to vote on a measure this week, mandating the state and defense departments to ensure the “prompt delivery” of military equipment.
The White House has pledged to veto the bill if it manages to clear the Senate, although its passage appears unlikely.
Israel initiated a military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas in response to the group’s cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7.
The conflict resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 252 individuals.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health ministry, over 35,170 individuals have perished in Gaza since then, with 82 deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
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