The Biden administration said on Friday that the use of US weapons by the Israeli military in Gaza may have violated international humanitarian law during its war against Hamas, in a strong-worded criticism of its ally. Amid this, Israel's war cabinet approved a "limited" expansion of the military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, local media reported.
The assessments were done in a 46-page unclassified US State Department report to Congress required under a new National Security Memorandum that President Joe Biden issued in early February, Reuters reported. The move could risk damaging US-Israel ties, with Washington repeatedly warning of repercussions in case Israel proceeded with a military offensive in Rafah.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR: TOP DEVELOPMENTS
On Friday, Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing Rafah's eastern and western sections days after the Jewish state captured the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, a key point that millions of Palestinians depend on aid coming through trucks.
Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly on Friday voted 143 to 9 for a resolution asking the Security Council to make Palestine, which has "observer" status, into a full member. While India voted in favour of the resolution, 25 countries abstained. Nine nations, including the US and Israel, voted against it.
