The United States has stated that Israel may have used American-supplied weapons in ways inconsistent with international humanitarian law during the war in Gaza. A State Department report, submitted to Congress on Friday, concluded it is 'reasonable to assess' that such arms were used in a manner that violated Israel's obligations under international law.
However, the report stopped short of a definitive finding that the Israel Defense Forces campaign had breached international law, citing the 'extraordinary military challenge' Israel faced fighting Hamas in Gaza. It noted that assurances from Israel regarding legal use of US weapons were 'credible and reliable'.
The document highlighted difficulties in determining facts on the ground due to Hamas using civilian infrastructure for military purposes and civilians as human shields. It acknowledged that Israel's reliance on US-made weapons likely led to instances inconsistent with international humanitarian law or best practices for mitigating civilian harm.
The report also criticised Israeli efforts to minimise civilian casualties, describing them as 'inconsistent, ineffective and inadequate' according to UN and humanitarian organisations. It found that Israel did not fully cooperate with US efforts to maximise humanitarian aid into Gaza initially, though this situation has since improved.
David Satterfield, a former US ambassador to Turkey and contributor to the report, told the BBC it was the first of its kind and that the US would continue reviewing Israeli actions. The report's release followed President Joe Biden's threat to withhold certain weapons if Israel proceeded with an assault on Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are sheltering.
