Amidst the Gaza Conflict, the White House suggests a $1 billion arms package for Israel

Amid the Gaza conflict, the White House requested approval for a $1 billion armaments shipment to Israel that included mortars, tank ammunition, and armored vehicles.

Officials revealed on Wednesday that the White House has proposed to Congress to authorize the transfer of over $1 billion worth of weaponry to Israel.

Amidst rising tensions in the Gaza conflict, the package—which is purported to contain tank shells, mortars, and armored tactical vehicles—marks a significant development.

The idea is contingent upon legislative approval, as verified by a congressional staffer to CBS.

This revelation comes in the wake of President Joe Biden’s recent statement that, in the event that a significant invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah were to occur, he would stop providing Israel with arms.

Concerns about the conflict’s potential effects on humanitarian aid have increased, though, as reports suggest that Israeli tanks have moved more into residential areas of southeast Rafah.

In light of the growing number of civilian deaths in Gaza, President Biden’s decision to postpone the delivery of 2,000 pound (900 kilogram) bombs to Israel demonstrates the administration’s cautious stance. “Those bombs have resulted in the deaths of civilians in Gaza,” Mr. Biden said.

The planned armaments package, which is the first since the Biden administration halted arms exports to Israel, consists of tactical vehicles valued at $500 million, mortar rounds valued at $60 million, and tank ammo valued at $700 million.

A US State Department assessment released last Friday sparked worries that some weapons supplied to Israel by the US may have been used against international law.

The study cited legitimate assurances from Israel regarding the lawful use of US weapons, but it did not definitively state that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) campaign had violated international law, even though it did criticize certain of the Israeli activities in Gaza.

Congress just passed a package sending $95 billion in aid to Taiwan, Israel, and the Ukraine against the backdrop of rising conflict.

But President Biden now faces political heat over the subject of arms sales to Israel, especially in the run-up to the 2024 presidential race.

Republican legislators have presented legislation to stop additional halts in the supply of arms to Israel in response to mounting criticism.

The House of Representatives will vote on the proposed legislation, which requires the state and defense departments to guarantee the “prompt delivery” of military hardware.

The White House has threatened to veto the package, indicating a possible impasse in Congress over the matter.

Israel and Hamas clashed as the latter launched a cross-border assault on southern Israel on October 7.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, since then, the violence has killed almost 1,200 people, with over 35,170 casualties documented in Gaza, including 82 deaths in the last 24 hours.