US President Joe Biden leaves the White House in Washington, US, to attend a fundraiser in California, May 9, 2024.
Craig Hudson | Reuters
The Biden administration said on Friday that it was “reasonable to assess” that Israel violated international law in Gaza, but did not violate the terms of US arms agreements.
In a report to Congress, the State Department said it had not verified specific cases that would justify withholding military aid.
“Although the United States has had deep concerns during the period since October 7 about Israel’s actions or inaction, which significantly contributed to the failure to provide the requested assistance in a sustained and broadly predictable manner, the overall level of access To Palestinian civilians – although improved – is still insufficient. “We do not currently believe that the Israeli government prohibits or restricts the transfer or delivery of US humanitarian assistance” under foreign aid law, the report said.
The report also said that Israel has “the knowledge, experience and tools necessary to implement best practices to mitigate harm to civilians in its military operations,” but noted that the results on the ground, “including high levels of civilian casualties, raise fundamental questions” about and whether The IDF was “using them effectively in all cases.”
The report also noted restrictions on US access to information from Israel. The report said that while Israel provided some information “upon request” about specific incidents related to targeting decisions and combat damage assessments, more details were needed.
“Although we have gained insight into Israeli procedures and rules, we do not have complete information about how these operations are carried out,” the report noted. “Israel has not shared complete information to verify” whether certain weapons provided by the United States were used in incidents that allegedly violated international humanitarian law.
The report also did not find that the Israeli government prevents the transfer or delivery of humanitarian aid. The report said: “Without the continued communication by the United States with the Israeli government at the highest levels, the humanitarian crisis that has continued over the past few months would have been more serious.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that its evaluation is ongoing and that “we will continue to monitor and respond to any challenges facing the delivery of aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza in the future.”
This is a developing story. . Please check back for updates
