The massacres carried out by Hamas and its allies on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, led to an unprecedented escalation of Israeli reprisals, with 20 days of relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip. But Benjamin Netanyahu and his government changed the nature of the war when, 20 days later, they launched Israel's ground offensive to reoccupy the Palestinian enclave. At that point, the goal was no longer to destroy Hamas, but to destroy the Gaza Strip itself.

Despite concerns about this escalation, Joe Biden's United States continued to provide virtually unconditional support for this war of annihilation. Even Israel's crossing of the Rafah "red line" on May 6, 2024 – which dramatically worsened the humanitarian catastrophe – did not alter this crucial support. Since January 2025, Donald Trump further increased the US role as a co-belligerent in this massive engagement, without which Israel could not have continued hostilities for nearly two years.

Unwavering and multifaceted support

Biden saw it as his duty as US president – and, as a self-avowed "Zionist" since 1973 – to support Israel's offensive against Gaza with every available resource. He thus followed Netanyahu's lead, moving from one escalation to the next in the name of a supposed "total victory" over Hamas. The US used its veto at the United Nations Security Council four times to block ceasefire proposals, enabling Israel to multiply its actions on the ground while undermining the multilateral framework of humanitarian law.

Furthermore, during the first year of the conflict, the US provided Israel with nearly $18 billion in direct military assistance. This enormous sum does not include $5 billion in costs for US military operations in support of Israel, nor the hundreds of arms deliveries made in increments to bypass Congressional approval.

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