US watchdog flags Israeli human rights violations in Gaza: WP
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A classified US watchdog report found hundreds of potential Israeli human rights violations in Gaza, raising questions about Leahy Law enforcement and US military aid.
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Palestinian Mahmud Shakshek (R) is comforted by a relative as he mourns over the bodies of his children, Fadi (R) and Sarah, who were killed in overnight Israeli strikes, at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 29, 2025. (AFP)
A classified report by a US government watchdog has revealed that Israeli military units committed “many hundreds” of potential violations of US human rights law in the Gaza Strip, according to two US officials who shared details with The Washington Post (WP).
The findings, compiled by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, mark the first known acknowledgment by a US government body of the scale of Israeli human rights violations in Gaza that may fall under the Leahy Laws.
These laws prohibit US military assistance to foreign units credibly accused of gross human rights abuses. Officials familiar with the report, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the classified nature of the document, expressed concern that the review process, especially in the case of "Israel," is too slow and deferential to ensure timely accountability.
“What worries me is that accountability will be forgotten now that the noise of the conflict is dying down,” said Charles Blaha, a former State Department official who previously oversaw Leahy Law implementation.
'US not withholding aid to Israel despite evidence'
According to the WP report, the watchdog’s classified report, available only by title on its website, outlines the internal protocol for reviewing violations of US laws by foreign militaries that receive American assistance. In the case of "Israel", the process, known as the "Israel" Leahy Vetting Forum, is more complex and involves a higher-level review than the process applied to other countries.
Unlike standard Leahy vetting, where a single objection can block military assistance, the US process for "Israel" requires consensus among a working group that includes officials from the US Embassy in al-Quds and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. These entities are widely seen as advocating for "Israel" within the US system.
According to the report, even when that working group finds a credible Leahy Law violation, it must consult the Israeli government and wait for its response before recommending that a unit be deemed ineligible for US aid, meaning the final decision rests with the Secretary of State. "To date, the US has not withheld any assistance to any Israeli unit despite clear evidence," said Josh Paul, a former State Department official and critic of US Middle East policy.
High-scale incidents in Gaza await US determination
The report comes amid growing scrutiny of US support for "Israel", particularly in light of its two-year military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the martyrdom of nearly 70,000 Palestinians since the beginning of the Israeli genocide.
Several high-profile incidents in Gaza remain under US review. These include the April 2024 killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in a targeted Israeli strike and the February 2024 massacre in which more than 100 Palestinians were killed and over 760 injured while gathering around aid trucks near Gaza City.
In a report to Congress last year, the Biden administration flagged both incidents but said it had not reached "definitive conclusions" about whether US weapons were used.
The US currently provides "Israel" with at least $3.8 billion in annual military aid, making it the largest cumulative recipient of US assistance globally. Additional emergency support packages have added tens of billions more in recent years.
Despite mounting evidence, including cases that involve US citizens murdered by the IOF, no Israeli military unit has been deemed ineligible for aid under the Leahy Laws.
Watchdogs face political pressure under Trump and Biden
The Biden and Trump administrations have both been accused of shielding "Israel" from the consequences of its actions. While Biden officials have claimed to place "human rights at the center of US foreign policy," they continued providing weapons and support despite ongoing war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.
“I don’t see any difference between the Biden administration and the Trump administration on this issue," Blaha said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration took direct aim at internal watchdogs, firing 17 inspectors general, a break from historical norms, and accusing them of political bias. Nonetheless, their work has remained relevant across administrations.
