The United States has sent over 50,000 tons of military equipment to Israel in the past 11 months, directly supporting the Israeli military’s ongoing assault on Gaza. This unprecedented level of military aid, averaging one shipment every 12 hours, has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations and international observers, who accuse the U.S. of being deeply complicit in potential war crimes.
The Israeli government announced this week that it has received vast quantities of weaponry from the U.S., including armored vehicles, munitions, and personal protection gear. This support has played a crucial role in sustaining Israel’s military operations in Gaza, where the majority of the population is now displaced and facing a growing risk of starvation.
The IMEU Policy Project, affiliated with the Institute for Middle East Understanding, has been tracking these arms shipments. According to the group, the Biden administration has maintained a steady flow of weapons to Israel, which are being used in military actions that have led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of them women and children. Josh Ruebner, policy director at the IMEU Policy Project, pointed out that the scale of these shipments underscores the U.S.’s deep involvement in what many are calling a genocide. “Weapons to Israel violate U.S. laws and policies that are supposed to prevent atrocities,” Ruebner stated.
The impact of U.S.-supplied weaponry on the ground in Gaza has been devastating. Over the course of Israel’s nearly 11-month assault, U.S.-made arms have been used in a series of deadly attacks on civilian areas, including family homes, crowded markets, and camps for displaced people. An Amnesty International report highlighted one particularly egregious incident on May 26, when Israeli forces used two U.S.-made GBU-39 guided bombs in airstrikes on a makeshift camp for displaced people in Rafah. The attack killed at least 36 people, including six children.
The human toll of the conflict is staggering. According to reports, Israel’s military actions, enabled by continuous U.S. arms transfers, have resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, with countless others injured or displaced. Gaza’s infrastructure has been decimated, rendering large parts of the territory uninhabitable and leaving its population without access to basic necessities such as clean water, medical care, and food.
This level of U.S. military support has raised significant legal and ethical concerns. Critics argue that the ongoing arms transfers may violate U.S. laws designed to prevent American weapons from being used in human rights abuses. The Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the Leahy Law prohibit the U.S. from providing military assistance to foreign security forces that engage in gross violations of human rights. The extensive use of U.S. weaponry in attacks on civilian targets in Gaza has led many to question whether these laws are being flagrantly disregarded.
Despite the mounting evidence of potential war crimes, the Biden administration has continued to approve significant arms deals with Israel. A recent $20 billion sale of F-15 fighter jets is just one example of the administration’s willingness to provide Israel with advanced military hardware. Stephen Semler, co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute, noted the administration’s unusual decision to publicize these deals, writing that “more extraordinary than the price tag of these arms deals is that the White House made them public.”
The Biden administration has faced growing criticism from human rights organizations and international observers for its role in perpetuating the violence in Gaza. While U.S. officials have claimed to be working toward a ceasefire, many see these statements as disingenuous, given the continuous flow of arms to Israel. Muhammad Shehada of EuroMed Human Rights reported that there are currently no genuine ceasefire negotiations underway, describing the situation as “a sham theatre play.”
This criticism is not limited to external observers. Within the U.S., progressive voices have increasingly questioned the administration’s foreign policy decisions. Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich has been particularly vocal, describing the U.S. support for Israel’s military actions as “corporate greed at its absolute worst,” and pointing out that this support directly undermines America’s stated commitment to human rights and international law.
The ramifications of this unyielding military support extend beyond Gaza. The continued U.S. arms transfers to Israel have escalated regional tensions, particularly with Iran and Hezbollah, both of which have promised retaliation in response to Israeli actions. On Sunday, Hezbollah launched over 300 missiles and drones, striking military and intelligence targets deep inside Israel, marking a significant escalation in the conflict.
Global calls for an arms embargo against Israel have intensified as evidence of war crimes mounts. Amnesty International, along with other human rights organizations, has documented the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in unlawful attacks, adding to the pressure on the international community to take decisive action.
“These victims deserve justice no less than the victims of street-level homicides,” said Ruebner.
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