Reports: Biden approves $680 million arms sale to Israel amid renewed Gaza ceasefire efforts.
The approval comes despite the U.S. commitment to reviving efforts for a long-sought Gaza ceasefire following the Israel-Hezbollah truce.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has reportedly given provisional approval for a $680 million arms deal with Israel, even as it emphasizes its commitment to peace efforts in the Middle East.
Reports of the deal emerged on Wednesday, just a day after Biden announced a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, pledging to renew attempts to secure a similar truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza—a promise he has made repeatedly but has yet to fulfill. According to an unnamed U.S. official cited by Reuters, the arms package has been under discussion for months, reviewed by congressional committees in September, and submitted for broader evaluation in October. The report was initially revealed by the Financial Times and later confirmed by Reuters.
The deal includes hundreds of small-diameter bombs and thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, which transform conventional bombs into precision-guided weapons, according to the reports.
While the Biden administration has not confirmed these claims, the timing of the reports underscores the tension in U.S. policy: facilitating ceasefire talks while continuing significant arms sales to Israel. The sales come amid ongoing violence, with Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Critics argue the U.S. has not leveraged its substantial military aid to Israel to push for a ceasefire effectively.
On Tuesday, Biden announced a ceasefire agreement that would see Israel withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days. During his address, he reiterated his intention to pursue an end to the Gaza conflict, which has persisted since October 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed over 1,100 people. Israeli retaliatory strikes have since killed more than 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza and over 3,800 in Lebanon within the past 13 months.
Biden emphasized U.S. efforts to engage Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that includes hostage releases and an end to the war, envisioning a resolution without Hamas retaining power.
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