The United States has opted against imposing sanctions on Israeli military and police units accused of human rights violations against Palestinians, including the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. Despite acknowledging “gross human rights violations” by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the West Bank, the Biden administration reaffirms the eligibility of implicated battalions for US military aid, effectively allowing them to continue their operations in the occupied Palestinian territories without facing any repercussions.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken communicated this stance in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, assuring that aid delivery to Israel will proceed without delay. This decision comes in the wake of President Joe Biden signing a $95 billion war aid measure, allocating significant funds for Israel.
Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, engaged in discussions with Blinken to avert the imposition of sanctions on Netzah Yehuda.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the United Nations chief pointed out the critical need to preserve forensic evidence from the mass graves discovered in Gaza. However, acquiring a mandate from a UN legislative group is deemed essential to facilitate the legal possession of such crucial material.
The Palestinian Civil Defence pledges its cooperation with an independent investigation into the three separate mass graves unearthed in Gaza, containing the remains of 392 people.
In a show of solidarity with the Palestinians, students and faculty members across universities in the United States are staging protests. The streets reverberate with chants demanding justice and an end to the violence that has engulfed the region.
Despite mounting international warnings urging restraint, a senior Israeli official defiantly declares that the military is “moving ahead” with its plans to invade Rafah.
According to the latest figures, Israel has killed at least 34,356 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 77,368 others. Israel, with unconditional support from the US, the UK, and other Western governments, has destroyed or severely damaged around 75 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and schools.
Israel has also been accused of blocking the entry of aid into Gaza, pushing the entire population of 2.5 million into, or dangerously close to, famine.
