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President Joe Biden speaks from Southcourt Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on April 12, 2024 in Washington, DC.
CNN
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The Biden administration has suspended shipments of U.S. munitions to Israel, sources said, without giving a reason for the decision. The hold is not related to potential Israeli operations in Rafah and will not affect other future shipments, the official said.
Asked about the suspension of shipments, a spokesperson for the National Security Council cited continued security assistance to Israel.
“The United States has surged billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel since the October 7 attacks, passing the largest-ever additional spending in emergency aid to Israel and setting a precedent to protect Israel from Iranian attack. “We have led and will continue to lead a coalition that is necessary to ensure that Israel is protected from the threats it faces,” the spokesperson said.
Axios first reported the suspension of ammunition shipments.
U.S. officials insist there is no change in policy toward Israel. And last month, Biden signed a foreign aid bill that includes $26 billion for the Israel-Hamas conflict. This includes $15 billion in military aid to Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and $2.4 billion in U.S. regional military operations.
But U.S. officials remain concerned about a possible Israeli operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have fled.
The United States is currently engaged in intensive negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage agreement in the Israel-Hamas war.
Even after the latest negotiations in Cairo produced cause for optimism, Israel and Hamas remained at loggerheads over the weekend over who should be responsible for the stalled ceasefire talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has objected to Hamas’ demands for Israel to withdraw from Gaza, with both sides condemning the other’s extreme views.
CIA Director Bill Burns, who was in Cairo last weekend to negotiate a ceasefire, also visited Doha and met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He had been scheduled to go to Israel, but will remain in Doha on Monday, a person familiar with his talks told CNN.
Mr. Burns has been a key interlocutor for the United States in multiparty talks between Israel, Hamas, Egypt, and Qatar over the release of hostages held in Gaza in conjunction with a temporary ceasefire.
It is unclear why Burns’ stay in Doha was extended or what changed. Officials have consistently pointed out how fluid the negotiations over the Gaza ceasefire are.
The United States is trying to increase pressure on Hamas to accept what appears to be its latest offer, which officials previously told CNN, would involve Israel in exchange for a moratorium on fighting in Gaza. The plan is to demand that Hamas release up to 33 hostages abducted from the United States. At the same time, it is trying to prevent Israeli forces from launching a ground attack on Rafah.
Even if a deal were reached, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel could still enter Rafah as it aims to eliminate the Hamas threat.
This story has been updated with new reporting.
CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Jack Forrest, Ibrahim Dahman, Tim Lister, Michael Schwartz; Kareem Kader, Eyad Kurdi, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Becky Anderson and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report.
