US supplied 'Israel' with 1-tonne bombs used in Jabalia massacre: WSJ

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The New York Times
2 Dec 2023 06:22
1 Shares

The newspaper says the supply of US weapons to 'Israel" is ongoing despite repeated massacres and Washington's claims that it is calling on Israelis to "minimize civilian casualties."

Civilians in Gaza survey the destruction after Israeli airstrikes in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza which resulted in a massacre on November 1, 2023 (AP)

The United States supplied "Israel" with bunker buster bombs with almost one-tonne of explosive warheads that were used to commit at least one known large massacre in Jabalia last month, The Wall Street Journal said in a report on Friday citing US officials.

This notable increase in arms provision, consisting of about 15,000 bombs and 57,000 artillery shells, commenced following the October 7 Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and has been ongoing since, the newspaper pointed out.

Among these, the delivery of 100 BLU-109 bunker buster bombs, each weighing 2,000 pounds (~900 kg), marks a significant escalation not previously disclosed by Washington.

#Watch | The aftermath of the second Israeli massacre in #Jabalia camp in northern #Gaza.#GazaUnderAttack #Palestine pic.twitter.com/E16ZMP40rd
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 1, 2023

The supply operation, which involves airlifting hundreds of millions of dollars in munitions primarily via C-17 military cargo planes from the US to "Tel Aviv", underscores the complex diplomatic landscape the US President Joe Biden's administration navigates.

However, while public statements between Biden and other senior officials of his administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, call for Israelis to "minimize civilian casualties" as much as possible, the supply of these destructive bombs signals the opposite, which has been clearly seen through the occupation military's use on the battlefield.

Earlier, it was reported that Washington decided to deliver small smart bombs to "Israel", in hopes that strikes would decrease civilian deaths, and lower public and diplomatic pressure on the United States regarding its role in the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Commenting on the transfer of the BLU-109 munitions to the Israeli occupation, Brian Finucane from the International Crisis Group points out a discrepancy, noting, “It seems" that urging Israelis to prevent civilian deaths is "inconsistent with reported exhortations from Secretary Blinken and others to use smaller-diameter bombs.”

Bombs not intended with densely populous areas

The array of artillery and bombs, previously deployed by the United States in its wars, on Iraq and Afghanistan for example, are now being used against Gaza's dense urban population, contrasting with their typical use against large enemy formations.

Mick Mulroy, a former defense official, highlights the distinct challenges of utilizing such weaponry in populated areas, stating that “the US may use them in more urban areas, but first it would do a lot of target analysis to make sure the attack was proportional and based on military necessity.”

The Israeli occupation military declared during the early stages of the war that its air strikes were aimed at causing “maximum damage.” On the other hand, Washington asserted repeatedly, most recently being last week, that it does not dictate or condition how Israelis use American-made weapons delivered to them by the United States.

Israeli strikes focused on civilians and civil infrastructure

These statements come despite over 1,300 massacres being committed by Israelis in Gaza, which have resulted, as per the latest public data provided by the Palestinian Health Ministry, in over 18,000 Palestinian martyrs, over 60% of which were women and children.

According to UNRWA, hundreds of thousands of residential homes became inhabitable due to the Israeli strikes, now being either completely destroyed or severely damaged.

In its latest estimates, the human rights organization said that nearly 1.8 million individuals have been displaced in the region, which is about 80% of the total population, with almost 191,000 seeking shelter in 124 UNRWA installations, including those in northern Gaza.

Furthermore, hospitals that were a shelter to tens of thousands of civilians in the north are now out of service due to Israeli bombing and blockade, forcing people who found a haven on the grounds of the medical complexes to evacuate again in search of places to reside down south.

Washington wants war to proceed

The international community, including the UN, continues to advocate for a permanent ceasefire, a stance not fully embraced by the Biden administration, which supports "Israel’s" ongoing war on Gaza.

On Friday, hours after the extended temporary truce expired, US National Security Spokesman John Kirby affirmed that the US supports "Israel’s" resumption of bombing Gaza, but claimed its reiteration that it "take[s] into account the limitations of the laws of war by minimizing civilian casualties."

Meanwhile, the day following the end of the truce agreement saw the martyrdom of over 190 Palestinians in Israeli strikes across Gaza.