US Will Not Supply Weapons to Israel if It Makes Major Invasion of Rafah: Joe Biden

Washington: Amid raging war between Israel and Hamas with the former invading Rafah, the United States has announced that it will have to reconsider its decision to supply weapons to the Jewish nation.

In a setback for Israel, US President Joe Biden has said that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a major invasion in Rafah, he will not supply them weapons to deal with Rafah. Over a million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city in southern Gaza. This comes amid uncertainty over the Gaza peace deal.  

Biden accepted that they had been supplying American weapons to Israel to kill civilians in Gaza, which is bearing the brunt of Israel-Hamas conflict which escalated after Palestinian militant group Hamas unleashed its October 7 attack on Israel. Following which Israel launched an offensive to annihilate Hamas. Israel's attack has so far claimed the lives of 34,789 Palestinians, mostly civilians, as per the Gaza Health Ministry.

After carefully reviewing the delivery of weapons that might be used in Rafah, the US recently paused a shipment consisting of 1,800 2,000-pound (907-kg) bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's UN ambassador, had earlier this week said that Washington's decision to delay shipments was "very disappointing" although he did not believe the US would stop supplying arms to Israel.

Though Israel launched airstrikes in Rafah earlier this week which saw many civilian killings, Biden refused to consider it a full-scale invasion by Israel since “population centers” were not struck in the attack.

Out of concern for Rafah, Washington is opposing a major Israeli invasion without civilian safeguards.

Hamas’ October 7 attack against Israel left about 1,200 people dead with about 250 others abducted, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

The US is by far the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, and it accelerated deliveries after the October 7 massacre in Israel.