The Biden administration issued its strongest criticism yet of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, expressing concern that the use of U.S.-supplied weapons may have violated international humanitarian law.
While the administration refrained from making definitive judgments due to the chaos of the conflict, a 46-page State Department report to Congress underscored Israel’s potential breaches of law.
Despite acknowledging Israel’s reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, the report highlighted contradictions in its military conduct.
It cited numerous credible reports of civilian harm and noted Israel’s initial lack of cooperation with efforts to boost humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
However, the report fell short of confirming whether specific instances constituted violations of international law.
The findings risk escalating tensions between the long-standing allies, particularly concerning Israel’s plans to strike Rafah, a move repeatedly cautioned against by Washington.
The Biden administration had already halted one arms package in a significant policy shift and was reviewing others despite reaffirming its long-term support for Israel.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the administration for not fully addressing the issue and avoiding a closer examination of whether Israel’s conduct warranted cutting off military aid.
The report’s release coincided with mounting scrutiny of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with the death toll and level of devastation drawing international attention.
Reports of civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure prompted concerns within the U.S. State Department, where officials have been divided on the issue.
Amnesty International also weighed in, accusing Israel of “serious violations” of international humanitarian and human rights law using U.S.-supplied weapons.
While the report acknowledged Israel’s internal investigations into incidents, it refrained from drawing definitive conclusions about the use of U.S. weapons in these instances.
