AHigh Israeli officials will have left a warning to their North American counterparts regarding the ‘cut’ in arms shipments to the Middle Eastern country.
According to Reuters, two sources familiar with the matter explained that the pause in sending bombs to Israel, confirmed this Wednesday by the Pentagon, could put hostage negotiations at risk.
According to an official cited by the Associated Press (AP), the sending of these materials was suspended last week, following indications of a possible military assault on the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
The shipment in question included 1,800 bombs weighing 900 kilograms and 1,700 bombs weighing 225 kilograms, said an official responsible cited by the AP on condition of anonymity.
When announcing the postponement of the delivery of this weapon, the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, indicated to a Senate subcommittee that the United States had suspended “the shipment of a large load of ammunition”.
“We will pursue whatever is necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But we are currently reviewing sending some of the short-term assistance in the context of developments in Rafah.”
The US frequently provides large amounts of military aid to Israel, which intensified following the attack by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7. The pause in sending this material highlights the apparent differences between Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and President Joe Biden’s administration, which has called on Israel for more measures to protect the lives of the civilian population in Gaza.
The White House is also expected to announce this week the findings of a formal and internal inquiry into whether airstrikes and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid violated domestic and international laws designed to protect civilians during violent armed conflicts.
In April, the United States Congress approved a budget of 95 billion dollars (88 billion euros) for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. This total includes a package of 14 billion in military aid to Israel, although the announced suspension of arms transfers is not related to this measure, the AP stated.
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2556602/apos-corte-no-envio-de-bombas-israel-avisou-eua-em-risco-refens