Washington – Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Sunday that the United States is actively gathering evidence and reviewing allegations regarding potential violations of U.S. policy and international humanitarian law by Israel in Gaza.
In a highly anticipated report released on Friday evening, the State Department indicated that it was "reasonable to assess" that Israel may have used U.S.-made arms in a manner that did not adequately mitigate harm to civilians. However, the report could not definitively conclude that any specific incident met the threshold for a violation.
Blinken commented on CBS on Sunday, saying, "It's reasonable to assess that in a number of instances, Israel has not acted in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law."
The assessment regarding Israel has sparked outrage among lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum, with Republicans and Democrats alike arguing that President Joe Biden is attempting to navigate U.S. support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas in a contradictory manner.
Last week, Biden halted a shipment of weapons to Israel, citing concerns that they could be used in a manner that would lead to significant civilian casualties in the densely populated city of Rafah.
Some Congressional Republicans accused Biden on Sunday of undermining Israel, particularly with his threat to withhold weapons in the event of a full-scale invasion of Rafah. Senator J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, stated that Israel should be able to prosecute its war on Hamas as it sees fit.
Other lawmakers addressed America's stance as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues. Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said on NBC's "Meet The Press," "In my view, Israel should not be receiving another nickel in U.S. military aid," accusing Israel of violating international law in Gaza.
Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also speaking on NBC, argued that Israel is dealing with Hamas' use of civilians as "human shields." Graham criticized Sanders' statement, asserting that the Biden administration should support Israel in what he described as a fight for its survival.
President Biden has not publicly commented on the State Department's report since its release on Friday.
Blinken reiterated on Sunday that Biden continues to support Israel's right to defend itself, but the U.S. has concerns regarding the slow delivery of humanitarian aid and Israel's use of weapons in its conflict with Hamas. Blinken stated on "Meet the Press" that the U.S. cannot definitively determine if there have been violations of international law at this point, noting the complexity of the ongoing conflict.
Blinken also mentioned that investigations are ongoing, including within Israel itself.
According to the Gaza health ministry, nearly 35,000 Palestinians have died since October 7, the day Hamas initiated a large-scale attack against Israel, sparking the current conflict.