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President Biden is planning to send another $1 billion worth of arms to Israel, according to a congressional source, moving ahead with weapons support for the nation in the war against Hamas — even as he is holding up high-payload bombs over concerns about their use in Gaza.
The aid package for Israel will include tank rounds, tactical vehicles, and artillery rounds. Despite the provision of these weapons, Biden is still withholding 3,500 bombs, including ones weighing 2,000 pounds and 500 pounds, due to potential risks associated with their use in the densely populated areas of Gaza.
Despite the possible hold-up, the Biden administration continues to maintain its support for Israel’s defense initiatives against Hamas, which kicked off the war after an attack on October 7th that killed an estimated 1,200 people and resulted in 250 people being taken hostage.
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Israel has recently evacuated over 300,000 people from Rafah as it conducts limited military operations in the city’s eastern sectors, where officials allege Hamas has positioned its last battalions. Amid these tactical moves, President Biden has expressed that he might withhold offensive weapons if Israel plans a major assault on Rafah, which currently shelters over a million Palestinians. This city, along with the rest of Gaza, faces severe humanitarian crises, with the northern parts suffering a declared famine by the United Nations.