According to US Defense Secretary Austin, the US has withheld an arms shipment to Israel because of the planned offensive in Rafah. What will happen next has not yet been decided.
In order to increase pressure on Israel in view of Israel’s announced offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza, the USA has suspended arms deliveries to Israel. The American Secretary of Defense confirmed this in a congressional hearing. While the US government is assessing the situation, the delivery of ammunition has been stopped, said Lloyd Austin.
“We have been clear from the beginning that Israel should not launch a major attack on Rafah without considering and protecting the civilians who are in this combat zone,” Austin said. How the delivery will proceed has not yet been finally decided.
Delivery apparently includes thousands of bombs
According to US media reports, the deliveries that have been stopped for the time being include kits for small-diameter unguided bombs manufactured by the aircraft manufacturer Boeing. The news agencies AFP and AP go into further detail, citing a high-ranking US government official: The deliveries should have included 1,800 907-kilogram bombs and 1,700 226-kilogram bombs.
The White House was very reserved and did not provide any details. When asked about the media reports and the alleged bombs in the delivery, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said she would not comment.
US concerns about planned Rafah offensive
The US government under President Joe Biden has repeatedly warned Israel against an offensive in Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians. Israel sent tanks into the city of Rafah on Tuesday and took control of the border crossing with Egypt.
According to its own statements, the Israeli army has destroyed tunnels and other military facilities in the east of the city. An unspecified number of opponents were killed in fighting and more than 100 targets were attacked from the air throughout the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, the Israeli military called on residents of the eastern part of Rafah to leave the area. It is unclear how many people have complied with this request so far. A senior UNRWA employee spoke on the US broadcaster CNN of around 50,000 people who had left Rafah since Monday.
hospital inoperable and fuel is scarce
The situation of the people in Rafah is “catastrophic,” warned the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. One out of three hospitals in the city is dysfunctional; the other two will run out of fuel in the coming days. “Without fuel, all humanitarian operations will stop,” he explained on X.
There is currently enough fuel for three days. By closing the border crossing, the United Nations would not be able to deliver fuel. The WHO head said this would also hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. He called for an urgent expansion of humanitarian aid.
In Rafah, more than a million people have sought refuge from fighting between Israel’s army and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. The Israeli government is sticking to its plans for a ground offensive in Rafah despite massive international criticism. She describes the city in the south of the Gaza Strip as the last remaining stronghold of Hamas.