U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the bombs supplied by the United States to Israel, which have now ceased to be sent, were used in the killing of Palestinian civilians. In an interview with CNN, when asked about the 2,000-pound (907 kilograms) bombs previously sent to Israel, Biden said, "Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a result of those bombs and other methods targeting population centers." He continued, "If Israel enters Rafah, we will not provide them with the weaponry historically used to deal with this issue. We will not provide arms and artillery shells to Israel. Israel will not receive our support if it enters the population centers in Rafah."
Biden added, "The bombs America provided to Israel, which we have now stopped, were used in the killing of civilians. Israel has not crossed the red line yet," noting, "I am working with Arab countries willing to help rebuild Gaza." He affirmed, "The United States will continue to provide defensive weapons to Israel." Biden concluded, "We will continue to ensure that Israel is secure regarding the Iron Dome and its ability to respond to attacks that have recently originated from the Middle East."
The U.S. has suspended the shipment of heavy bombs to Israel used in its campaign against Hamas fighters in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians so far. This suspension comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues a military offensive on the Palestinian city of Rafah despite President Biden's objections. According to U.S. officials, Washington halted the sending of a shipment consisting of 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) each and 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds (approximately 227 kilograms) each. These shipments were part of an earlier approved order and not part of a recent additional aid package valued at $95 billion approved by the U.S. Congress in April.
