The administration of President Joe Biden has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a US official said on Friday, with Washington maintaining support for its ally whose war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands.
The deal would need approval from the House of Representatives and Senate committees and includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells, Axios reported earlier.
The package also includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, according to Axios.
The US State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Protesters have for months demanded an arms embargo against Israel, due to broad and numerous accusations of war crimes, torture and breaches of international humanitarian law and Genocide.
US policy has largely remained unchanged.
Some commentators, and people within the US State Department and Biden administration, have claimed that the United States Leahy Laws, prohibiting assistance to foreign military units that commit abuses, should be applied to many Israel units.
Israel has denied most accusations of wrongdoing and broadly denies the accusation of genocide.
In August, the United States approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.
The Biden administration says it is helping its ally defend itself against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Facing international criticism, Washington has stood by Israel during its assault on Gaza that has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis.
The Gaza health ministry puts the death toll at over 45,000 people, with many many thousands more feared buried under rubble.
Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to end the 15-month-old Israeli war in Gaza that was triggered after an attack on 7 October 2023 by Palestinian Hamas militants that killed about 1,200 people, including more than 700 civilians, and in which about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Washington, Israel’s biggest ally and weapons supplier, has also previously vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Democrat Biden is due to leave office on 20 January, when Republican President-elect Donald Trump will succeed him.
Both are strong backers of Israel.
With wires
