US President Joe Biden’s administration received warnings of potential Israeli war crimes from Senior Pentagon and Department of State officials in an investigation by Reuters. The emails exchanged between officials highlighted concerns about rising death tolls in Gaza violating international law and damaging US relations with the Arab world. There was pressure within the administration to shift the messaging to show more sympathy for Palestinians and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
On October 11, State Department official Bill Russo expressed concerns about losing credibility with Arabic-speaking audiences and being complicit in potential war crimes by remaining silent on Israel’s actions in Gaza. Two days later, Israel dropped leaflets warning one million Gaza residents to evacuate within 24 hours, raising alarms about the potential for humanitarian catastrophes and war crimes. The International Committee of the Red Cross also expressed concerns about the speed of the evacuation.
Additionally, on October 14, a US State Department official recommended denying arms sales to Israel due to reports of gross violations of human rights by the Yamam border patrol unit. Despite this recommendation, the US has sent Israel a large quantity of weapons since the war began.
As the conflict continued, the death toll in Gaza rose to at least 41,802 Palestinians killed and 96,844 wounded. The investigation sheds light on the internal debates within the Biden administration regarding US support for Israel and the need to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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