United States (US) President Joe Biden in recent days has quietly approved the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and fighter jets to Israel, The Washington Post reported.
This comes despite Washington expressing its concerns about an upcoming Israeli attack on Rafah, which could potentially endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians.
The arms approved this week include 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, anonymous State and Defense Department officials told the Washington Post.
The 2,000-pound bombs used by Israel to bomb the Gaza Strip have been linked to previous incidents resulting in heavy Palestinian casualties.
The US State Department approved the transfer of 25 F-35A fighter jets and engines last week.
The new package comes amid Israel’s ongoing international criticism for its Gaza bombing campaign and Democratic Party calls for US military aid reduction.
On October 7, Israel launched the war on Gaza following a surprise retaliatory attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Israeli forces have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians thus far, primarily women and children and over 75,000 people injured.
