As reported by Reuters, senior Pentagon and Department of State officials warned President Joe Biden’s administration of potential Israeli war crimes following the start of the October 7, 2023 war on Gaza. Emails between top US administration officials revealed concerns over violating international law and US credibility among Arabic-speaking audiences due to the rising death toll in Gaza. The officials also felt pressure to shift messaging from unwavering support for Israel to include sympathy for Palestinians and the need for more humanitarian aid.
The emails highlighted the urgent need for action as Gaza faced a growing humanitarian crisis, with the Health Ministry reporting about 1,200 Palestinian deaths and Israel dropping evacuation leaflets warning one million residents to leave their homes. The International Committee of the Red Cross raised alarms that Israel was close to committing war crimes by displacing civilians at an impossible pace. The administration was urged to slow down the evacuation to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
Additionally, concerns were raised about potential human rights violations by Israeli National Police units, leading to a recommendation to deny arms sales to Israel. However, since the start of the war, the US had sent Israel a substantial amount of munitions, including precision-guided missiles and bombs. The escalating death toll in Gaza, with tens of thousands killed and wounded, highlighted the urgency of addressing the crisis and potential war crimes.
The revelations of internal warnings within the Biden administration shed light on the complexities of US-Israel relations and the need to balance support for Israel with concerns over humanitarian crises and human rights violations.
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