![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael Gaza: US weapons to Israel a sign of thaw in strained tiesPublished41 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPAImage caption, Israel has insisted it will attack Rafah, dismissing international concern that it would cause untold suffering amongst a large number of peopleBy Yolande KnellBBC News, JerusalemDespite a week of tensions with Israel over its conduct of the Gaza War, Washington is reported to have authorised arms transfers to its ally worth billions of dollars. These include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000lb (900kg) bombs and 500 MK82 500lb bombs, as well as 25 F35A fighter jets, The Washington Post and Reuters news agency have said.The larger bombs have previously been linked to air strikes in Gaza causing mass casualties.Washington gives $3.8bn (£3bn) in annual military assistance to Israel.But the latest package comes as the Biden administration has been raising concerns about rising civilian deaths in Gaza and humanitarian access to the territory, which the UN says is on the verge of famine.The administration has also said it “cannot support” an anticipated large-scale Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Egypt border, where there are more than a million displaced people.The Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs in Ramallah criticised the US for inconsistencies in its positions. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, it said: “demanding [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to stop killing civilians and supplying him with weapons is an unprecedented principled and moral contradiction”.Image source, ReutersImage caption, New talks on the release of Israeli hostages and a truce with Hamas are being heldNews of the arms transfers emerged on the same day that President Joe Biden spoke of “the path being felt by so many in the Arab-American community with the war in Gaza”.The arms transfers have also been strongly criticised by some senior members of the president’s Democratic party who have been calling for US military aid to be limited or conditional on changes in how Israel conducts military operations. The US State Department told the BBC that it was unable to confirm potential or pending US arms transfers before Congress was formally notified. Quoting Pentagon and State Department officials, the Washington Post reported that the extra warplanes being sent to Israel were initially approved as part of a larger package by Congress in 2008 and had been requested last year – in advance of the deadly 7 October attacks by Hamas which triggered the Gaza war.When Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant went to Washington last week, it was said he had taken a long list of US weapons his country wanted to receive in an expedited manner.Gaza starvation could amount to war crime, UN human rights chief tells BBCWhy are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?Stories of the hostages taken by Hamas from IsraelDuring the war Israel, though itself a major weapons exporter, has been heavily reliant on American air defences and munitions. Tens of thousands of bombs have been dropped on Gaza, with military experts saying the aerial campaign has been one of the most intense and destructive in recent history.Late last year, analysis of bomb craters from satellite imagery drew major US news outlets to conclude that Israel had routinely used its biggest 2000-pound (900kg) bombs.The New York Times quoted explosives experts who said that while bombs of that size were used by several Western militaries, they were almost never dropped by US forces in densely populated areas anymore.Meeting top US officials, Mr Gallant stressed the need to preserve his country’s qualitative military edge in the Middle East and prepare for a possible escalation in fighting with the powerful Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah. He also sought to ease tensions with his country’s most important ally, which had sunk to their lowest point of the Gaza war after the US abstained from a key UN Security Council vote on Monday. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reacted angrily when this allowed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire to pass. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Aid worker in Gaza: People are ‘desperate, eating anything they can find’In the wake of the vote, White House spokesman John Kirby had rejected claims that the US had changed its position and denied that it was ready to start conditioning aid to Israel. “It’s not about trying to use some sort of power dynamics here with our good friend and ally, Israel. It’s about helping them defend themselves,” he told journalists. “We still have Israel’s back. As you and I are speaking, we are still providing tools, capabilities, and weapons systems so that Israel can defend itself against what we agree is still a viable threat [from] Hamas.”Since the new arms transfers were reportedly given the green light, there have been signs that relations between Israel and the US have eased. A high-level Israeli delegation is now expected to travel to Washington to discuss possible alternative plans for operations against Hamas in Rafah. The trip had previously been cancelled by Mr Netanyahu in response to the UN Security Council ceasefire vote. In another step likely to be welcomed by the US, Israel has also agreed to send senior intelligence officials back to Egypt and Qatar for renewed talks to try to release its hostages as part of a possible truce deal with Hamas.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warUnited StatesMore on this storyIsrael says UN resolution damaged Gaza truce talksPublished3 days agoUN rights expert accuses Israel of acts of genocidePublished3 days agoTop UN court orders Israel to allow aid into GazaPublished1 day agoWhat is famine and why are Gaza and Sudan at risk?Published1 day agoHow much aid is getting into Gaza and how?Published15 MarchTop StoriesJeffrey Donaldson: From the White House to Antrim police stationPublished2 hours agoMan arrested as hostage situation in Dutch bar endsPublished1 hour agoStabbed Iranian TV host’s station ‘faced threats’Published1 hour agoFeaturesWhy are electric car fires so hard to deal with?Seven bills going up and one going down in April’I drove 14 hours to see a Banksy for 10 minutes’AI photos show people with cancer their lost futureEwan McGregor ‘turned into his grandad’ in new roleThe Papers: DUP leader charged and ‘hefty’ water bill riseThe football pitch that doubles as an execution groundCanada’s drug experiment hits strong oppositionA view from inside ship that hit Baltimore bridge. VideoA view from inside ship that hit Baltimore bridgeElsewhere on the BBCAmbition, money and deceptionThe scandalous true story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, starring Amanda SeyfriedAttributioniPlayerGet a job, pay the bills. Sounds simple, right?Fresh, surreal comedy from the mind of Lucia KeskinAttributioniPlayerFrom Starman to film star…How did the silver screen inspire David Bowie?AttributioniPlayerCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Lizzo says she ‘quits’ after ‘lies’ against her2Man arrested as hostage situation in Dutch bar ends3From the White House to Antrim police station4Why are electric car fires so hard to deal with?5’Escorted through the airport like a criminal’6Seven bills going up and one going down in April7Stabbed Iranian TV host’s station ‘faced threats’8AI photos show people with cancer their lost future9Girl’s death sparks deadly mob violence in Mexico10Man in court over train stabbing attempted murder](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/65F9/production/_133050162_mediaitem133050161.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael Gaza: US weapons to Israel a sign of thaw in strained tiesPublished41 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPAImage caption, Israel has insisted it will attack Rafah, dismissing international concern that it would cause untold suffering amongst a large number of peopleBy Yolande KnellBBC News, JerusalemDespite a week of tensions with Israel over its conduct of the Gaza War, Washington is reported to have authorised arms transfers to its ally worth billions of dollars. These include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000lb (900kg) bombs and 500 MK82 500lb bombs, as well as 25 F35A fighter jets, The Washington Post and Reuters news agency have said.The larger bombs have previously been linked to air strikes in Gaza causing mass casualties.Washington gives $3.8bn (£3bn) in annual military assistance to Israel.But the latest package comes as the Biden administration has been raising concerns about rising civilian deaths in Gaza and humanitarian access to the territory, which the UN says is on the verge of famine.The administration has also said it “cannot support” an anticipated large-scale Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Egypt border, where there are more than a million displaced people.The Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs in Ramallah criticised the US for inconsistencies in its positions. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, it said: “demanding [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to stop killing civilians and supplying him with weapons is an unprecedented principled and moral contradiction”.Image source, ReutersImage caption, New talks on the release of Israeli hostages and a truce with Hamas are being heldNews of the arms transfers emerged on the same day that President Joe Biden spoke of “the path being felt by so many in the Arab-American community with the war in Gaza”.The arms transfers have also been strongly criticised by some senior members of the president’s Democratic party who have been calling for US military aid to be limited or conditional on changes in how Israel conducts military operations. The US State Department told the BBC that it was unable to confirm potential or pending US arms transfers before Congress was formally notified. Quoting Pentagon and State Department officials, the Washington Post reported that the extra warplanes being sent to Israel were initially approved as part of a larger package by Congress in 2008 and had been requested last year – in advance of the deadly 7 October attacks by Hamas which triggered the Gaza war.When Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant went to Washington last week, it was said he had taken a long list of US weapons his country wanted to receive in an expedited manner.Gaza starvation could amount to war crime, UN human rights chief tells BBCWhy are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?Stories of the hostages taken by Hamas from IsraelDuring the war Israel, though itself a major weapons exporter, has been heavily reliant on American air defences and munitions. Tens of thousands of bombs have been dropped on Gaza, with military experts saying the aerial campaign has been one of the most intense and destructive in recent history.Late last year, analysis of bomb craters from satellite imagery drew major US news outlets to conclude that Israel had routinely used its biggest 2000-pound (900kg) bombs.The New York Times quoted explosives experts who said that while bombs of that size were used by several Western militaries, they were almost never dropped by US forces in densely populated areas anymore.Meeting top US officials, Mr Gallant stressed the need to preserve his country’s qualitative military edge in the Middle East and prepare for a possible escalation in fighting with the powerful Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah. He also sought to ease tensions with his country’s most important ally, which had sunk to their lowest point of the Gaza war after the US abstained from a key UN Security Council vote on Monday. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reacted angrily when this allowed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire to pass. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Aid worker in Gaza: People are ‘desperate, eating anything they can find’In the wake of the vote, White House spokesman John Kirby had rejected claims that the US had changed its position and denied that it was ready to start conditioning aid to Israel. “It’s not about trying to use some sort of power dynamics here with our good friend and ally, Israel. It’s about helping them defend themselves,” he told journalists. “We still have Israel’s back. As you and I are speaking, we are still providing tools, capabilities, and weapons systems so that Israel can defend itself against what we agree is still a viable threat [from] Hamas.”Since the new arms transfers were reportedly given the green light, there have been signs that relations between Israel and the US have eased. A high-level Israeli delegation is now expected to travel to Washington to discuss possible alternative plans for operations against Hamas in Rafah. The trip had previously been cancelled by Mr Netanyahu in response to the UN Security Council ceasefire vote. In another step likely to be welcomed by the US, Israel has also agreed to send senior intelligence officials back to Egypt and Qatar for renewed talks to try to release its hostages as part of a possible truce deal with Hamas.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warUnited StatesMore on this storyIsrael says UN resolution damaged Gaza truce talksPublished3 days agoUN rights expert accuses Israel of acts of genocidePublished3 days agoTop UN court orders Israel to allow aid into GazaPublished1 day agoWhat is famine and why are Gaza and Sudan at risk?Published1 day agoHow much aid is getting into Gaza and how?Published15 MarchTop StoriesJeffrey Donaldson: From the White House to Antrim police stationPublished2 hours agoMan arrested as hostage situation in Dutch bar endsPublished1 hour agoStabbed Iranian TV host’s station ‘faced threats’Published1 hour agoFeaturesWhy are electric car fires so hard to deal with?Seven bills going up and one going down in April’I drove 14 hours to see a Banksy for 10 minutes’AI photos show people with cancer their lost futureEwan McGregor ‘turned into his grandad’ in new roleThe Papers: DUP leader charged and ‘hefty’ water bill riseThe football pitch that doubles as an execution groundCanada’s drug experiment hits strong oppositionA view from inside ship that hit Baltimore bridge. VideoA view from inside ship that hit Baltimore bridgeElsewhere on the BBCAmbition, money and deceptionThe scandalous true story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, starring Amanda SeyfriedAttributioniPlayerGet a job, pay the bills. Sounds simple, right?Fresh, surreal comedy from the mind of Lucia KeskinAttributioniPlayerFrom Starman to film star…How did the silver screen inspire David Bowie?AttributioniPlayerCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Lizzo says she ‘quits’ after ‘lies’ against her2Man arrested as hostage situation in Dutch bar ends3From the White House to Antrim police station4Why are electric car fires so hard to deal with?5’Escorted through the airport like a criminal’6Seven bills going up and one going down in April7Stabbed Iranian TV host’s station ‘faced threats’8AI photos show people with cancer their lost future9Girl’s death sparks deadly mob violence in Mexico10Man in court over train stabbing attempted murder
[ad_1] The delivery of arms to Israel comes as the US expresses concern over deaths and suffering amongst Gaza’s residents.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael cancels Washington meeting after UN Gaza ceasefire votePublished8 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPABy Christy CooneyBBC NewsIsrael has cancelled meetings in Washington after the US declined to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.The resolution, which also called for the release of all hostages, followed several failed attempts at similar measures since the 7 October attacks.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the US of having “abandoned” its previous policy.The spat comes amid calls for urgent action to avert a famine in Gaza. Since the start of the conflict, the US has used its veto power to block three Security Council resolutions calling for pauses in the fighting or a ceasefire. Another two have been vetoed by both Russia and China.On Monday, the US abstained on a resolution that called for an “immediate” ceasefire for the rest of the month of Ramadan – two weeks – and the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”.The 14 other members of the council, including the UK, voted in favour, meaning the resolution passed.Following the vote, Mr Netanyahu objected that the resolution did not make the call for a ceasefire conditional on the release of the hostages, as the US and Israel had both argued it should. Israel believes Hamas and its allies are still holding about 130 hostages in Gaza, including 33 presumed dead.”Today’s resolution gives Hamas hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, thus harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.It added that, “in light of the change in the US position”, a planned visit by an Israeli delegation to the US this week would not go ahead. Israeli and US officials had been due to meet to discuss Israel’s planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought shelter, having fled the fighting elsewhere in Gaza. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said publicly that a ground operation in Rafah risks killing more civilians and is “not the way” to defeat Hamas.Responding to the Israeli decision, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said it was “disappointing” but reiterated the US view that “a major ground offensive in Rafah would be a major mistake”.He added that scheduled meetings between Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan would go ahead as planned. Bowen: Biden has decided strong words are not enoughWatch: Moment UN Security Council passes ceasefire resolutionAt Gate 96 – the new crossing into Gaza where aid struggles to get inYair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader and former prime minister, criticised Mr Netanyahu’s decision, described the episode as “unnecessary” and said Mr Netanyahu had been “irresponsible”.”Bad for Israel. Bad for security, bad for the economy,” he said on X, formerly Twitter. “Sometimes you have to say ‘no’ to the Americans. Israel is indeed an independent country, and we do not need anyone’s permission to defend ourselves. [But] it is better to keep the quarrels in closed rooms.”The resolution on Monday came amid huge concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.Last week, Mr Blinken warned that the entire population of Gaza was experiencing “severe levels of acute food insecurity”.The UN World Food Programme has also warned that, in Gaza’s two northern governorates, famine is expected to set in by May unless the flow of aid into the territory is increased. Following Monday’s vote, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the resolution “must be implemented” and that “failure would be unforgivable”.Early on Tuesday, the British government announced that it had carried out its first airdrop of food into Gaza.It said the Royal Air Force drop included 10 tonnes of supplies: water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned goods and baby formula.It also repeated calls on Israel to allow more aid in via Gaza’s ports and to open more land crossings into the territory. 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