Biden Withholds Weapons for Israel’s Invasion of Rafah Amid Concerns for Civilians’ Safety

In light of Israel’s plans to invade Rafah, the last major stronghold of Hamas in Gaza, President Joe Biden announced that he would withhold certain types of weapons from Israel. Biden stated during an interview with CNN that while the US remains committed to Israel’s defense, it would not supply “the weapons and artillery shells used” in an invasion of Rafah, citing concerns for the safety of the over one million civilians currently sheltering in the area. The US had planned to send 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs to Israel, but a senior administration official revealed that this shipment had been put on hold last week due to worries over the use of these heavier explosives in densely populated areas. This decision marks a significant departure from the close relationship between the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, with Biden previously describing US support for Israel as “ironclad”. The official also noted that no final decision had been reached regarding whether the shipment would go ahead at a later date. Israeli troops have already seized control of the Rafah border crossing, a crucial gateway for humanitarian aid between Gaza and Egypt, as part of what the White House described as a limited operation. As the Israel-Hamas conflict approaches the seven-month mark, the Biden administration is set to deliver a judgment on whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute violations of international and US laws intended to shield civilians from harm. The administration agreed in February to conduct this assessment at the request of Democratic members of Congress. The US has provided vast quantities of military aid to Israel since Hamas carried out a deadly attack on October 7, which resulted in around 250 people being kidnapped by militants and approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel.