Israel may have used US-made weapons in ways that violate humanitarian rights, according to a state department study that stopped short of formally accusing the Jewish state of breaking international law.
The declassified study sent to Congress found that because of the Israeli military’s heavy reliance on US-made weaponry, it was “reasonable to assess” that American munitions have been used in the Gaza war in ways “inconsistent with [international humanitarian law] or with established practices for mitigating civilian harm”.
The state department assessment of Israel and six other countries engaged in armed conflicts was mandated by President Joe Biden, who in February 2023 issued a directive aimed at imposing stricter oversight on US weapons transfers.