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The Biden administration has paused a shipment of bombs that could be used in Rafah over concerns that Israel is poised to invade the southern Gaza city where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering.
The decision was based on a review the administration began in April of proposed transfers of weapons that might be used in the densely populated city, according to a senior administration official.
It comes amid international outrage over the civilian toll from Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.
U.S. officials have for months warned Israel not to launch a ground operation in the city, which Israel says is Hamas’ last stronghold, because of the likelihood of civilian casualties.
The weapons shipment in question contains 1,800 2,000-lb bombs and 1,700 500-lb bombs, the official said. The administration has not made a final decision on whether to proceed with the shipment.
Discussions with Israeli officials about how to meet the humanitarian needs of civilians with Rafah “have not fully addressed our concerns,” the official said.
“As Israeli leaders seemed to approach a decision point on such an operation, we began to carefully review proposed transfers of particular weapons to Israel that might be used in Rafah,” the official said, noting that the U.S. focused particularly on the 2,000-lb bombs and “the impact they could have in dense urban settings as we have seen in other parts of Gaza.”
The administration is also reviewing other sales, including Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions — kits that convert bombs into smart weapons, the official said. None of the cases under review involve imminent weapons transfers.
The Biden administration is holding up shipments of two types of Boeing-made precision bombs to send a political message to Israel, POLITICO reported on Tuesday.
