President Joe Biden has threatened to withhold artillery and other weapons if Israel invades Rafah, the last stronghold of the U.S.-designated Islamic terrorist organization Hamas.
Monaka interview Biden, along with CNN reporter Erin Burnett, said the US has “made it clear” that if Israel moves to invade Rafah, the US will not supply them with “weapons.”
“Civilians are being killed in Gaza as a result of bombs and other attacks on populated areas,” Biden said in an interview.
Biden’s words came after his administration halted shipments of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel last week.
#breaking news: Biden told CNN that in addition to continuing to suspend bomb shipments to Israel, he would also keep the shells because what the Israeli Defense Forces have been doing and are trying to do is “absolutely wrong.”
CNN’s Erin Burnett: “I’d like to ask you about something that’s going on while I’m sitting here… pic.twitter.com/vqxewKM7CU
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 8, 2024
“I made it clear that if they go to Rafah, they haven’t gone to Rafah yet. “We’re not supplying weapons that have been used to address that problem,” Biden said.
Biden went on to add that the United States will ensure Israel is “secure in terms of Iron Dome and its ability to respond to an attack.”
Hamas on Sunday fired a barrage of rockets from Rafah at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which is used as an entry point for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
attack remained four A soldier was killed and 10 others were injured.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday called on residents of Rafah to evacuate for safety. The IDF distributed leaflets and used text messages and other means of communication to urge residents to leave the al-Mawashi Humanitarian Zone and other safe areas.
Israeli government spokesman David Mensah warned Monday that the warning to residents was not a bluff.
The next day, the IDF sent tanks into Rafah and took control of the border crossing shared with Egypt.
Biden added: “That’s wrong. We will not provide the weapons and shells that were used.”
