The Biden administration has released a detailed report to Congress, stating that Israel has likely violated international standards in failing to protect civilians in Gaza. However, the report did not find specific instances that would justify withholding military aid to Israel.
The State Department’s report highlighted the high levels of civilian casualties in Gaza and raised questions about whether the Israel Defense Forces are effectively using tools to mitigate harm to civilians. Despite these concerns, the report stated that the United States has no hard proof of Israeli violations and deemed Israel’s assurances to use U.S. arms in accordance with international law as credible.
The report also noted that Israel has initiated criminal investigations into its military conduct in Gaza and has begun pursuing accountability for suspected violations of the law. While the report did not find intentional obstruction of humanitarian aid into Gaza, it acknowledged that Israel’s actions have slowed the flow of aid into the territory.
Critics of the report, including some Democrats in Congress, have expressed disappointment that the findings did not lead to further restrictions on arms deliveries to Israel. They argue that Israel has indiscriminately killed civilians with American arms and hindered U.S.-supplied humanitarian aid, which would violate U.S. laws governing arms transfers and international humanitarian law.
The report, mandated by President Biden, comes amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S. military support for Israel and calls for accountability for alleged violations of international law. The findings have sparked debate and criticism, with some questioning the thoroughness and objectivity of the report in addressing Israel’s actions in Gaza.
