U.S. assessment suggests that American weapons may have been used in Gaza in ways that violate international law

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a highly anticipated report to Congress on Friday regarding the Israeli military’s operations in Gaza. The report accused Israeli forces of potentially violating international humanitarian law but did not formally find them in violation. The report covered the period from Jan. 1, 2023, through late April of this year and highlighted the challenges of determining facts in an active war zone.

The report noted that there were allegations of Israel violating international humanitarian law, but the U.S. lacked complete information on whether U.S. weapons were used in these actions. Despite Israel’s reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, the report found instances inconsistent with international humanitarian law obligations.

While the report acknowledged Israel’s efforts to increase cooperation with the U.S. government for humanitarian aid, it criticized the Israel Defense Forces for potentially falling short in reducing civilian casualties. The report also mentioned ongoing criminal investigations by Israel into allegations of violations of international humanitarian law.

The report highlighted Israel’s efforts to inform Gazan civilians of tactical pauses to avoid harm but raised questions about the efficacy of precautionary measures due to the reported rate of civilian harm. The report also mentioned the NSM-20, a memorandum requiring assurances from countries receiving U.S. military aid to comply with international humanitarian law.

The report’s findings were met with criticism from Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen and Republican Senator Jim Risch. The report comes at a critical time in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, with President Biden pausing a shipment of bombs to prevent civilian casualties. The report sheds light on the complexities of the situation in Gaza and the challenges of ensuring compliance with international law.