U. S. Suspends Bomb Shipment to Israel in Response to the Concerns over Gaza

The U.S. paused a bomb shipment to Israel over concerns about a potential Israeli ground operation in the densely populated Rafah area of Gaza.

The United States disclosed last week that a shipment of bombs to Israel was halted because of fears that Israel might be planning a major ground operation in the city of Rafah in Gaza. 

A senior U. S.  administration official disclosed that the stopped shipment was made up of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs.  According to the official, the bombs were destined for the Israeli military. The official said that the U.  S.  is communicating with Israel about the needs of the civilians in Rafah where the number of people who are sheltering there is over one million and they have nowhere else to go. Nevertheless, the official commented that Israel has not "completely met" the U.  S.  demands on this topic. 

Such a move is being implemented as Israel has been conducting air strikes and ground assaults around Rafah during the past few days. Israeli forces, who were supported by tanks, captured the vital Rafah border crossing with Egypt last night. Local medics said that in the Israeli raid in the early morning hours of Rafah, seven members of one family were killed. 

Israel had evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from the eastern part of Rafah on Monday before their "limited" operation against Hamas fighters and infrastructure in the city. The ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations are simultaneously being conducted by Israeli and Palestinian representatives in Cairo. 

The senior U.  S.  official explained that the halted arms deal is not related to the recent $17 billion U.  S.  military aid package to Israel. The official pointed out that the USA is especially worried that the 2-ton bombs might be dropped in the densely populated Gaza. 

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The Israeli army started its military operation in Gaza in October 2023 after the Hamas border attack, with the main goal of annihilating the militant group. As per Hamas officials, more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the conflict started.