The US State Department notified Congress of an impending $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a move that comes as Israel continues its military operations in Gaza. The sale, detailed in an informal notification, includes medium-range air-to-air missiles, artillery shells, Hellfire missiles, and bombs, among other items.
These weapons, some of which may be drawn from existing US stocks, are expected to take a year or more to fully deliver. The sale represents a significant addition to the $17.9 billion in military aid Israel has already received from the US since the October 2023 Hamas attacks.
The Biden administration's decision to proceed with this sale has drawn criticism, particularly regarding the escalating death toll of Palestinian civilians. Congressional efforts, including those by Senator Bernie Sanders, to block the sale of offensive weaponry have so far been unsuccessful.
US officials had previously paused a shipment of heavier bombs to Israel in May due to concerns over potential civilian casualties. However, despite past efforts to link humanitarian aid to arms transfers, the Biden administration declined to impose further restrictions in November citing limited progress on aid.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continue, inflicting further casualties on civilians and contributing to the widespread destruction and displacement of Gaza’s population, now sheltering in makeshift camps as winter approaches.
The Israeli military maintains that its targets are exclusively militant groups, blaming Hamas for civilian deaths due to their deployment in residential areas.
The informal notification to Congress is a preliminary step in the approval process. The House Foreign Affairs Committee or the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have the opportunity to review the sale.
