"Concerns"

US arms delivery to Israel halted

Rising smoke after an Israeli air strike in the southern Gaza Strip(Bild: APA/AFP)

As reported, the Israeli armed forces took over the Palestinian part of the Rafah border crossing on Tuesday in order to be able to launch a broader offensive in the event of the complete failure of indirect negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Meanwhile, the USA has put a weapons delivery to Israel on hold.

The delivery includes 1800 907-kilogram bombs and 1700 226-kilogram bombs, a high-ranking government representative, who wished to remain anonymous, said on Tuesday (local time). Israel had not fully addressed US "concerns" about plans for an offensive in Rafah. No final decision has been made on how to proceed with this shipment, the government official said.

Smoke rising after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip(Bild: APA/AFP)

The wave of pro-Palestinian protests at US universities is increasing the pressure on President Joe Biden.(Bild: APA/AFP/Etienne LAURENT)

By halting arms deliveries, US President Joe Biden has for the first time put into practice a warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make US support conditional on the treatment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. According to the government representative, the decision was made in view of the announced Israeli military operation in Rafah, which the USA opposes.

Israel wants to destroy "last Hamas stronghold"
More than a million people have sought refuge from the fighting between Israel's army and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas in Rafah. Despite massive international criticism, the Israeli government is sticking to its plans for a ground offensive in Rafah. It describes the city in the south of the Gaza Strip as Hamas' last remaining stronghold.