*Biden: Future support for Israel depends on civilians protection
The United States seat of power, the White House, has approved more bombs to Israel on the day the Israeli military struck a convoy and killed seven workers of a food charity group delivering aid to Gaza, The Washington Post reported on Thursday April 4.
According to a Xinhua news agency bulletin on Friday, the Washington Post based its report on information it received from three U.S. officials, who the newspaper said revealed the details about the approval this week.
The State Department approved the transfer of more than 1,000 MK82 500-pound bombs, over 1,000 small-diameter bombs, and fuses for MK80 bombs, all from authorizations granted by Congress several years ago, said the report, citing the U.S. officials.
Israeli forces carried out an airstrike Monday that resulted in the deaths of seven members of World Central Kitchen (WCK) as they were on route to distributing food to civilians in Gaza.
The Washington Post report added that a State Department spokesperson confirmed that the approval for the transfer of the bombs occurred sometime “prior” to when the Israeli aircraft struck the aid convoy.
U.S. arms transfer to Israel has come under increased scrutiny as outrage swelled worldwide over the deaths of more than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza since Israel began its retaliatory military operation following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. That the United States has so far shown no indication of limiting weapons for Israel has become even more controversial in light of the deadly Israeli attack on the WCK, which evoked international condemnation.
Separately elsewhere, the U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that future U.S. support for Israel will depend on Israel’s steps to protect civilians in Gaza.
During a high-stakes phone call, Biden emphasized to Netanyahu that Israeli strikes on humanitarian workers delivering aid to Gaza and “the overall humanitarian situation” in Gaza are “unacceptable,” according to a readout of the call issued by the White House. Biden “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” said the readout. The president, according to the readout, “made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.” Biden also urged Netanyahu to both implement “an immediate ceasefire” with Hamas and “conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home,” the readout said.
The call was the first between the two leaders after Israeli forces carried out an airstrike Monday, killing seven members of charity group World Central Kitchen (WCK) en route to distributing food to civilians in Gaza.
The strike evoked international condemnation. In a statement on Tuesday, Biden said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the deaths of the humanitarian workers from the WCK. (XINHUA)
