The U.S. political sphere has been recently stirred by news related to an $8 billion armament transaction poised to strengthen Israel’s military arsenal. This enormous decision lodged by the U.S. State Department has been most favorably received by Congress, thus reflecting the intentions of the current administration towards the war-pitched nation.
Israel, a trusted American ally, continues to wage its battles against the combating forces of Hamas in Gaza, necessitating this hefty military aid. Despite some weaponry possibly being dispatched from existing U.S. reserves, the greater portion of the arms deal’s contents is projected to span over the course of a year or possibly even more before complete delivery.
The sale, unsurprisingly, encompasses a wide array of military gears. Most notably, it includes medium-ranged air-to-air missiles, aimed at providing a robust defense against any airborne threats Israel might face. Additionally, the deal also contains 155mm projectile artillery shells specialized for long-range targets.
The diverse package includes items such as Hellfire AGM-114 missiles and 500-pound bombs. This monumental sale fits neatly into a rather alarming fact: the U.S. has been sending a staggering amount of military aid to Israel following the launch of Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The total aid since then has now surpassed $17.9 billion.
In an interesting twist, the Biden administration has been barraged with reproachful comments about the increasingly alienating Palestinian civilian fatalities. Opposition towards this stance was also manifested in unsuccessful endeavors by Congress to halt the arms sales, arguing that such weapons would potentially be used for offensive operations.
Remarkably, the United States’ previous suspension of a 2,000-pound bomb delivery to Israel in May due to qualms over potential civilian casualties failed to resonate with the current administration. These bombs were speculated to be used in an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, thus raising significant concerns.
While the Biden administration publicly exhorts Israel to boost humanitarian aid into the enclave, its underwhelming response in imposing restrictions on arms transfers signifies an intransigent stand towards the escalating crisis. The situation took a worse turn in November, as failing to see improvements, the administration reneged on its threat to curb arms transfers.
More recently, Israel has been wrapped up in an airstrike offensive on Gaza that culminated in a tragic loss of life. Bloated with the casualties of war, the death toll has skyrocketed into the tens of thousands following a yearlong onslaught since the beginning of the war.
The Israeli defense forces have declared that they’ve wiped out multiple gathering locations of Hamas forces, including their command centers hogging the Gaza region. The Israeli military, however, maintains a defensive stance that their target comprises solely of militants, refuting any blame for the civilian casualties and attributing this to Hamas’ operational areas’ compactness.
Meanwhile, the intense warfare has resulted in obliterating destruction across Gaza and uprooted almost 90% of its population of 2.3 million generating a severe refugee crisis. The frequency of displacements was such that several residents had been forced to move multiple times.
As winter sets in, innumerable individuals seek asylum in flimsy tents, dangerously close to the seafront as they await aid. The upheaval and chaos caused make the living situation unbearable, and the continuing relocation of civilians paints a bleak picture of the future under the current Biden administration.
In spite of being an informal notification to Congress, the arms deal is far from definitive. Both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reserves the right to scrutinize the said package and make necessary adjustments.
In conclusion, amidst the desolation and suffering in Gaza, the U.S. administration’s controversial step of reinforcing Israel’s military strength while showing apparent indifference to humanitarian crisis echoes a disturbing and perplexing stance.