Hours after finalizing a $5.2 billion agreement with the United States for F-15 fighter jets, Israel launched deadly airstrikes on refugee camps in northern and central Gaza, further escalating the humanitarian crisis in the region. The attacks killed at least 22 people, according to reports, and add to the growing concerns about the role of American military aid in facilitating violence against civilians. The recent airstrikes mark another tragic moment in the long-standing conflict, heightening international outcry for action and accountability.
On the same day as the airstrikes, Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced its acquisition of over two dozen Boeing-made F-15 fighter jets—a deal hailed as a “landmark transaction” and a key component of Israel’s broader military aid package from the United States, approved by the Biden administration earlier this year. The new aircraft, which will begin arriving in Israel by 2031, will be equipped with advanced weapons systems, adding significantly to Israel’s military capabilities.
The Ministry of Defense framed the F-15 deal as an essential step for both current and future military readiness. “While focusing on immediate needs for advanced weaponry and ammunition at unprecedented levels, we’re simultaneously investing in long-term strategic capabilities,” the ministry said in a public statement, adding that these capabilities have already proven critical in Israel’s ongoing war efforts. The new F-15 jets will join Israel’s recently acquired third squadron of F-35 fighter jets, reinforcing its dominant air power in the region.
Only hours after the deal’s announcement, Israeli forces launched attacks on densely populated areas in Gaza, including the Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Nuseirat refugee camps. At least 22 civilians were reported dead in these strikes, which have drawn severe condemnation from humanitarian organizations and human rights advocates worldwide. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary-General Jan Egeland, who recently traveled to northern and central Gaza, described the devastation he witnessed as “worse than anything I could imagine as a long-time aid worker.”
Egeland noted that the conditions for Gaza’s residents had deteriorated to a level of complete desperation. “What I saw and heard in the north of Gaza was a population pushed beyond breaking point,” he said. Families in the area, he explained, are facing unbearable hardships: separation of men and boys from their loved ones, a lack of basic necessities like food and clean water, and no resources to bury their dead. “This is in no way a lawful response, a targeted operation of ‘self-defense’ to dismantle armed groups, or warfare consistent with humanitarian law,” Egeland emphasized. “What Israel is doing here, with Western-supplied arms, is rendering a densely populated area uninhabitable for almost two million civilians.”
The latest attacks and military deal arrive in a fraught political climate in the United States. This year’s election campaign saw significant divisions within the Democratic Party over continued military support for Israel, with Palestinian rights advocates calling on the Biden administration to halt arms sales in light of ongoing civilian casualties and human rights abuses. Despite these appeals, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, ultimately resisted calls for an arms embargo. Her loss in the election has intensified criticism from progressives, who argue that the party’s approach has alienated key voters.
New York Times columnist Peter Beinart wrote in a recent column that Harris’s defeat underscores the Democratic Party’s failure to address the concerns of constituents who oppose the U.S. role in fueling violence in Gaza. “Despite overwhelming evidence that the Democratic Party’s most devoted constituents wanted to end sales of weapons to Israel, the Biden administration kept sending them,” Beinart noted, adding that Harris’s actions during her campaign “went out of her way to make voters who care about Palestinian rights feel unwelcome.” Beinart argued that in an era where supporting Palestinian freedom has become a defining progressive issue, the Democratic Party’s stance risks not only being morally compromised but politically self-destructive.
Layla Elabed and Abbas Alawieh, co-founders of the Uncommitted National Movement, expressed similar sentiments in a recent statement, saying, “While there are many factors at play” in Harris’ loss, “one undeniable truth remains: Neglecting the voices of those impacted by war has consequences.” They called on the Biden-Harris administration to end the flow of U.S. weapons fueling violence in Gaza, warning that continued support for such policies risks alienating a broad coalition of progressive voters who value human rights.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has signaled unwavering support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government, aligning closely with Israel’s aggressive military stance. During a recent phone conversation, Trump assured Netanyahu, “Do what you have to do,” signaling a green light for further escalation in Gaza and Lebanon. Although Trump often portrayed himself as a “pro-peace” candidate, his rhetoric and policies continue to bolster Israel’s military actions, particularly against Palestinian and Lebanese communities.
Trump’s victory in the election has heightened fears among Palestinian rights advocates and global human rights organizations. Many worry that with Trump’s support, Israel may ramp up its military campaigns with little to no accountability, increasing the human toll in the region. Internationally, Trump’s return to the White House has also raised concerns among global leaders, who fear that his administration’s policies will lead to heightened conflict and diminished prospects for peace.
The recent airstrikes and U.S.-Israel military deals have not only heightened tensions in the region but have also sparked global condemnation. Human Rights Watch released a statement warning that a second Trump presidency poses a “grave threat to human rights in the United States and the world.” Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament General Secretary Sophie Bolt added that “the world will be far more dangerous with Trump’s thumb on the nuclear button,” stressing that global nuclear tensions are already alarmingly high.
Tirana Hassan, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, emphasized the urgency of accountability, stating, “Independent institutions and civil society groups, including Human Rights Watch, will need to do all we can to hold him and his administration accountable for abuses.”
Activists worldwide are calling for an end to arms sales that contribute to the cycle of violence and demanding that Western governments, particularly the United States, prioritize human rights over unchecked military alliances. Egeland’s words serve as a powerful reminder of the human cost: “This is in no way a lawful response, a targeted operation of ‘self-defense’… What Israel is doing here, with Western-supplied arms, is rendering a densely populated area uninhabitable for almost two million civilians.”
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