US says Israel likely violated international law in Gaza strikes

The Biden administration stated on Friday that Israel likely violated international humanitarian law in its war with Hamas, possibly while using weapons that were supplied by the United States.

The administration said it found "reasonable" evidence to support the belief that the country violated international law, but could not determine if the weapons used were supplied by the U.S. in some airstrikes, due to conditions on the ground. 

The statement was noted in a report to Congress Friday afternoon, according to the Associated Press.

The report from the U.S. State department report found that: “Given Israel’s significant reliance on US-made defence articles, it is reasonable to assess that defence articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its IHL obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm," according to the Guardian.

The report comes after the administration halted a shipment of 3,500 bombs to Israel earlier this week, after Israel launched an invasion into the Gazan city of Rafah. The concern over U.S. weapons being used to violate humanitarian law could give President Joe Biden an opening to withdraw future military support for the Middle Eastern country, which has posed a serious challenge in his reelection bid this November. 

The congressional report is the result of a directive from the president in February, instructing officials with the Defense and State departments to conduct “an assessment of any credible reports or allegations that such defense articles and, as appropriate, defense services, have been used in a manner not consistent with international law, including international humanitarian law." 

Critics of the war in Israel have accused Israeli security forces of abusing innocent Palestinian civilians, but Israel has defended its actions as necessary in its aim to eradicate Hamas. At least 1,200 Israelis were massacred by Hamas on Oct. 7, but thousands of Palestinians have died in the war since. 

Israel has also maintained that it is following U.S. and international law in its response to Hamas. But the Biden administration and other allies have urged Israel to limit its civilian casualties as much as possible. 

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.