U.S. pauses some weapons to Israel, as battles rage around Rafah
The United States has halted a shipment of powerful bombs to Israel, a U.S. official said, as Washington puts pressure on its ally to avoid a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip’s crowded southern city of Rafah and give more time for ceasefire talks.
Hamas said its fighters were battling Israeli troops in the east of the city, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge from combat elsewhere in the enclave. Residents said the fighting was still on the outskirts.
Israel has threatened a major assault on Rafah to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are holed up there, but Western nations and the United Nations have warned a full-scale assault on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe.
A senior U.S. official said President Joe Biden’s administration paused a shipment of weapons to Israel last week in an apparent response to the expected Rafah offensive. The White House and Pentagon declined to comment.
This would be the first such delay since the Biden administration offered its full support to Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Washington is Israel’s closest ally and main weapons supplier.
A senior Israeli official, asking not to be named, said “If we have to fight with our fingernails, then we’ll do what we have to do.” Israel’s army spokesperson said coordination between allies was unmatched and any disagreements were resolved in private.
Israeli forces on Tuesday seized the main border crossing between Gaza and Egypt in Rafah, cutting off a vital route for aid.
Residents said tanks, which had moved in to take control of the crossing, had not entered the built-up areas of the city and gun battles were still outside the city limits.
Armed groups of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah said in separate statements that gunfights continued in the central Gaza Strip, while residents of northern Gaza reported heavy Israeli tank shelling against eastern areas of Gaza City and districts.