Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently reviewing allegations that Israel violated U.S. policy and international humanitarian law in Gaza, following reports of civilian deaths during Israeli military operations in the region. The U.S., under President Joe Biden, has paused a shipment of weapons to Israel due to concerns over civilian casualties in Rafah, a densely populated city where Hamas militants are believed to be hiding.
Blinken stated on CBS's 'Face the Nation' that it is 'reasonable to assess' that Israel has not acted consistently with international humanitarian law in some instances. The U.S. State Department report, released on Friday, found that Israeli forces potentially violated international humanitarian law but did not definitively conclude any specific incident met the violation threshold.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has resulted in significant civilian casualties, with nearly 35,000 Palestinians reportedly killed since October 2021. The war began after Hamas militants launched a massive attack against Israel and sparked the current conflict.
Senator Bernie Sanders believes that Israel has broken international and American law and should not receive further U.S. military aid, while Senator Ben Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, disagrees with this stance and supports continued military aid to Israel.
The White House's position on Israel has been criticized by some lawmakers who argue that it undercuts Israeli sovereignty and its ability to defend itself against Hamas attacks. The situation remains complex, with ongoing investigations into potential humanitarian law violations and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.