The Biden administration said Friday it is “reasonable to assess” Israel has broken international law during the war in Gaza, multiple outlets reported, though the report didn’t definitively confirm any violations that would prompt a cutoff of U.S. aid—two days after President Joe Biden said “I’m not supplying the weapons” if Israel launches a broader offensive in southern Gaza.
The report from the State Department to Congress said Israel “has the knowledge, experience and tools to implement best practices for mitigating civilian harm in its military operations,” but steep civilian casualties “raise substantial questions” about whether Israel is using those tools, the New York Times reported.
The State Department reportedly stated the U.S. doesn’t have complete information to determine whether U.S. weapons have been used in ways that violate international law, but “given Israel's significant reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles…have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its [international humanitarian law] obligations.”
The report said “it is difficult to assess or reach conclusive findings on individual incidents” because of the “nature of the conflict” and lack of U.S. personnel on the ground in the Gaza Strip, according to CNN.
The report allows the U.S. to continue sending military aid, reportedly saying Israel gave “credible and reliable” assurances in March that it would use U.S. weapons in a way that followed international law.
Forbes has reached out to the State Department for comment.