President Joe Biden’s administration will send additional aid to Israel, Washington’s historic ally, which has been hit by attacks by the Palestinian Hamas, the White House announced Sunday. Details on this increased support are expected later today.
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“The President has ordered additional support to Israel following Hamas’s unprecedented terrorist attack,” the US executive said in a brief statement.
The same source added that Joe Biden was being kept updated on the situation and White House officials were continuing to be in contact with Israeli officials.
“We are examining new concrete demands from the Israelis. I think you’ll probably hear more about that today,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously told CNN.
AFP
Following a surprise offensive from the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Islamist movement, high-level contacts between American and Israeli officials increased, and both sides in particular had an “in-depth discussion” about the need for military assistance, a senior White House official said the official said on Saturday evening.
He said an announcement on the American side was possible on Sunday, but acknowledged a complicated institutional situation for the executive branch, with one of the two chambers of Congress paralyzed after the firing of its Republican leader last week.
Mr. Blinken recalled on CNN on Sunday that President Barack Obama signed an agreement with Israel in 2016 “to provide $3.8 billion in military aid annually.”
The Secretary of State also shared reports that Americans were among the victims of the attacks. “We are working to review this,” he said.
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For his part, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog pointed out that American citizens were among the hundred people, civilians and soldiers kidnapped in Israel by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip.
“The entire (U.S.) executive branch has worked with the entire region and beyond to build support for Israel and to ensure that every country uses all the tools and influence at its disposal to achieve a Hamas withdrawal and this “The conflict is not breaking out in other places,” explained Antony Blinken on ABC.
Asked about Hamas’ possible intention to trigger hostilities in order to torpedo discussions on diplomatic normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, supported by Washington, the foreign minister replied: “That could be part of the motivation.” Look who is against standardization? Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran. So it wouldn’t be a surprise.
The death toll from the war between Hamas and Israel rose Sunday to 370 dead in the Gaza Strip and to “more than 600” in Israel, according to recent reports from authorities, with thousands injured.