Despite Gaza Death Toll Soaring, U.S. Unlikely to Rethink Weapons Supplies to Israel
WASHINGTON/LONDON/BEIRUT – The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure as the death toll continues to rise from Israel’s renewed offensive in southern Gaza. While top U.S. officials have publicly urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties, they have stopped short of taking more drastic measures such as threatening to restrict military aid.
Between Friday and Monday, approximately 900 people in Gaza were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Despite the high number of casualties, the U.S. is currently ruling out withholding weapons or harshly criticizing Israel in order to change its tactics. Two U.S. officials have stated that the U.S. believes its existing strategy of private negotiations is effective in influencing Israel.
We think what we’re doing is moving them, a senior U.S. official said. The official cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to allow aid into Gaza as a result of intense diplomacy, rather than threats.
The recent three days of aerial bombardments in southern Gaza have resulted in residents discovering the bodies of children and adults amid the rubble. However, reducing military support to Israel carries significant risks, according to the U.S. official. They explained that lessening aid to Israel could encourage other parties to enter the conflict, weaken deterrence, and embolden Israel’s enemies.
The United States currently provides $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually and has requested an additional $14 billion from Congress. This level of support gives Washington significant leverage over how the war against Hamas is conducted, but the Biden administration has been reluctant to use that leverage thus far.
With the 2024 presidential election in mind, President Biden faces pressure from both pro-Israel independent voters and a faction of progressive Democrats who want conditions set on military aid and an immediate ceasefire. Striking a delicate balance, the administration has called its support for Israel unwavering while attempting to urge restraint.
While the U.S. has not made any changes to its support for Israel at this time, a senior Israeli security source acknowledged the possibility of a shift in U.S. policy. If the U.S. shifts course, Israel will have to speed up its operations and wrap things up quickly, the source said.
The recent escalation in fighting between Israel and Hamas began on Friday following a seven-day pause for hostage and prisoner exchanges. Gaza’s health ministry, deemed reliable by the U.N., reported that at least 15,899 Palestinians, with 70% being women or children, have been killed in Israeli bombardments over the past eight weeks.
Israeli officials claim they are conducting operations in the south differently than in the past, allowing more time for non-combatants to evacuate. However, civilian casualties cannot be prevented entirely, as acknowledged by Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy.
The intensity of Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza persisted on Monday, resulting in dozens of Palestinian casualties. Human Rights Watch has pointed out that the same pattern of heavy-duty bombs and artillery in densely populated areas continues. Amnesty International also found that U.S.-made munitions were responsible for the deaths of 43 civilians in two Israeli air strikes.
While the Biden administration continues to publicly pressure Israel to minimize civilian deaths, it remains unlikely to rethink its weapons supplies to the country at this time. The delicate balance between foreign policy, political considerations, and the escalating conflict poses significant challenges for the U.S. as it navigates its ally’s military offensive in Gaza.
