While the nature of the conflict in Gaza makes it difficult “to assess or reach definitive conclusions,” the report indicates that “enough incidents have been recorded to raise serious concerns.”
The United States Government stated this Friday that it is possible that the Israeli Army has used weapons provided by Washington in Gaza in a manner “incompatible” with International Humanitarian Law during the seven months of the ongoing Israeli military operation on the Strip.
The State Department acknowledged in a report that “it is reasonable to assess that Israeli security forces have used defense articles covered by ‘NSM-20’ since October 7 in cases incompatible with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law or with established best practices to mitigate harm to civilians.”
As reported by the American television network CNN, potential violations are being investigated, but the report also notes that the United States “does not have complete information to verify” whether the U.S. weapons “were specifically used” in alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law.
While the nature of the conflict in Gaza makes it difficult “to assess or reach definitive conclusions,” the report indicates that “enough incidents have been recorded to raise serious concerns.”
The investigation, which spans from the outbreak of the conflict on October 7 to this April, does not conclude that Israel has violated the law regarding the use of American weapons or the withholding of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. According to the mentioned media, it also does not compel the Israeli Government to take any action and does not imply any policy change.
The report, sent to Congress this Friday, comes two days after President Joe Biden warned Israel for the first time that he would interrupt the supply of weaponry if a large-scale incursion into Rafah was initiated, where more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians take refuge, considering that it could be used to kill civilians.
In an interview with the said television network, the U.S. president stated that “if (the troops) enter Rafah,” he will not provide them with the weapons that “have been historically used to deal with the problem” in this locality in the south of the Strip, such as arms and artillery projectiles in the fight against Hamas.
