The administration of President Joe Biden will proceed with the delivery of 500-pound bombs to Israel, but will still withhold the supply of 2,000-pound bombs due to concerns about their use in densely populated Gaza, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
Washington halted the delivery of both 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs in May, citing concerns over their impact in Gaza, Palestine.
The government’s specific concern is the use of such large bombs in Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians are sheltering.
“We have made clear our concerns regarding the end-use of the 2,000-pound bombs, particularly for Israel’s Rafah operations, which they have announced will soon conclude,” said a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, as reported by Reuters on July 11.
It is known that a single 2,000-pound bomb can tear through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide blast radius.
The U.S. official said the 500-pound bombs were bundled in the same shipment as the larger bombs that were temporarily halted and thus held back.
“Our main concern remains the potential use of 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah and other parts of Gaza. Since our concern does not extend to the 500-pound bombs, those continue as part of the usual process,” the official explained.
The United States has informed Israel that they are releasing the 500-pound bombs but continue to withhold the larger bombs, according to a source familiar with the matter.
In June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Washington was withholding weapons, urging U.S. officials to rectify the situation. President Biden’s aides expressed disappointment and confusion over the Israeli leader’s statement.
Despite the pause on one shipment, Israel continues to receive a steady flow of U.S. weaponry.
Reuters reported last month that from the start of the war in October 2023 until the end of June, the U.S. has transferred at least 14,000 2,000-pound MK-84 bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000 precision-guided Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs, 2,600 small-diameter bombs dropped from the air, and other munitions.
Separately, international scrutiny of Israel’s military operations in Gaza has intensified, as the Palestinian death toll from the war has exceeded 38,000 lives, leaving the coastal enclave devastated.
Citing WAFA, Gaza health authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll of Palestinians in the region has risen to 38,295, while 88,241 others have been injured. The majority of the casualties are women and children.
