A first of its kind report by the US government is expected to conclude that Israel has not violated the terms of its use of US weapons, according to sources cited by the Associated Press.
The report – known as the national security memorandum – was pushed by President Joe Biden’s Democrats in Congress.
When agreed to back in February, defence and state departments were tasked to conduct “an assessment of any credible reports or allegations that such defence articles and, defence services, have been used in a manner not consistent with international law, including international humanitarian law”.
They were also obliged to tell Congress if they thought Israel has acted to “arbitrarily to deny, restrict, or otherwise impede, directly or indirectly,” delivery of any US-supported humanitarian aid into Gaza for starving civilians there.
It follows the US pausing a shipment of 3,500 bombs heading for Israel over concern they would be used in an offensive on Rafah.
The conclusions of the memorandum are expected to be sharply critical of Israel, but will not state that Israel violated terms of weapons agreements between the two countries.
A senior Biden administration official said the full report is expected to be released later today, but declined to comment on its conclusions.
Palestinians in Rafah are still preparing to evacuate the eastern parts of the city amid the threat of an Israeli ground offensive.
The United Nations estimates around 110,000 Palestinians have already fled in search of safety.
In the latest pictures from the city, a tent camp where people are currently living is seen.
In one of the images, people appear to have started to make piles of their belongings as they get ready to evacuate.
Meanwhile, South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order additional emergency measures against Israel over its attacks on the city of Rafah, the United Nations top court has said.
It is part of the ongoing case brought by South Africa in January which accuses Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians.
The court – which is located in The Hague in the Netherlands – ordered Israel at the beginning of the year to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide.
South Africa wanted the ICJ to implement provisional measures on Israel which would “immediately suspend military operations in and against Gaza” – but the ICJ stopped short of that.
Any decision to impose provisional measures will be “hugely problematic” for the Israeli offensive, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.
Sky News
