The U.S. is sending a fresh round of bombs to Israel, two senior administration officials told NBC News, undermining the Biden administration’s public expressions of frustration at Israel’s conduct in the war and its own efforts at brokering a cease-fire.
The bombs are part of a weapons package that was approved for Israel years ago, but is only being fulfilled now — and includes more than 1,800 Mark 84 (MK84) 2,000-pound bombs and approximately 500 Mark 82 (MK82) 500-pound bombs, the officials said.
The delivery of the weapons package was first reported by The Washington Post.
The Mark 84 and 82 are dumb bombs that can be converted into precision-guided ones with the help of a guidance kit, which the U.S. has provided in the past.
Even with precision guidance, these bombs likely lead to civilian deaths, and it’s believed that Israel has used them in its campaign in Gaza.
“These are the bombs that can destroy entire blocks,” one senior administration official said of the MK84 bombs.
The delivery comes as U.S. officials said Israel has provided Washington with assurances that it is using American-supplied weapons within the laws of war.
Israel receives $3.8 billion in annual military assistance from the U.S., but there is growing criticism of Washington’s continued supply of weapons to Israel six months into the war amid international scrutiny of Israel’s military tactics in Gaza and a mounting civilian death toll.
Cease-fire negotiations are expected to resume between Israel and Hamas on Sunday in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, according to the country’s Al-Qahera television. However, a Hamas official told NBC News on Sunday the group will not attend. The Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed to NBC News the talks would resume “next week.” Any new deal would likely result in a lengthy pause in fighting in exchange for the release of some of the estimated 140 hostages still in Hamas captivity. Ongoing efforts by mediators have stalled, and there has been little indication since the last truce in November that the two sides have moved closer to a deal.
Last week, the United Nations Security Council passed a symbolic resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas after the U.S. abstained from the vote, drawing anger from Israel. It came after the U.S. vetoed several past resolutions calling for the end of hostilities.
While the Biden administration’s public frustration with how the Israeli government is handling the war appears to be growing, U.S. efforts to achieve a cease-fire will be overshadowed by the revelation that it continues to send Israel powerful bombs known to cause serious harm to the civilians.
In the nearly six months of fighting since the Oct. 7 attacks, more than 32,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with thousands more trapped under the rubble and presumed dead, according to Palestinian officials.
The fighting has destroyed hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure, displacing the vast majority of the enclave’s more than 2 million people. But Israel has maintained that there is no turning back until all of Hamas has been destroyed, and it has continued its military offensive in defiance of increasingly sharp demands for a cease-fire from global leaders and international organizations amid declining support for Israel’s war around the world.
Last week, the U.N. special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories determined that the hostilities have already reached the level of genocide.
The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday it was continuing with “precise operational activity” in the area of Gaza’s main hospital, which it says is being used as a Hamas hub. The Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City has been under an Israeli army raid for nearly two weeks, raising questions about the fate of civilians sheltering at the site. The IDF said Saturday it eliminated four senior Hamas operatives at the hospital.
Officials in Gaza said Saturday that the Al-Shifa operation has claimed 400 lives so far. NBC News was not able to verify this number and has reached out to the IDF for comment. The raid is also delaying a new mission to the hospital from the World Health Organization, its chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Saturday, noting three prior missions had been denied.
“100 patients and 50 health workers are reportedly still inside the nonfunctional facility, with hostilities around it,” Tedros said on X. “We are extremely worried about their condition and safety.”
Gaza’s authorities said more than 1,000 homes in the vicinity of Al-Shifa have been targeted.
The Ajour family’s home behind the hospital was one of them, illustrating the civilian toll and calling into question the IDF’s claim that its attacks are…
Read More: U.S. sends more weapons to Israel amid growing calls for cease-fire