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The United States government has stated that it is "reasonable to assess" that Israel violated international humanitarian law by using American weapons in Gaza. This assessment is based on a State Department report that acknowledges ongoing investigations into possible violations but admits that the US does not have complete information to verify the use of US weapons in purported breaches of international humanitarian law.
The report covers the period from the onset of hostilities with Hamas on October 7 to late April and concludes that Israel’s actions are "inconsistent" with its obligations under international humanitarian law and "established best practices for mitigating civilian harm."
The report does not conclude that Israel has impeded humanitarian aid to Gaza in contravention of US statutes, but it is critically vocal about the repercussions of Israel’s military actions. The report comes at a time when US-Israeli relations are already tense, following President Joe Biden’s warning that he might limit weapon transfers if Israel initiates a significant offensive in Rafah.
The US administration has generally refrained from supplying military support to Israel, but Biden has said that he will not supply weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah if Israel goes into the city.
The report’s ultimate conclusion is that Israel’s assurances under the national security memorandum are “credible and reliable,” which will likely displease human rights and humanitarian groups.