(Dan Tri) – The US State Department has approved an `emergency` artillery shell package worth $147.5 million for Israel, amid escalating fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army opened fire towards the Gaza Strip (Photo: AP).
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on December 30 that the US State Department had approved an agreement to sell emergency artillery shells worth $147.5 million to Israel, bypassing the usual requirement for congressional approval.
Accordingly, Israel will receive more than 57,000 155mm artillery shells and accompanying accessories.
The announcement said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the agreement because `the emergency situation requires an immediate sale to the Israeli government`.
While the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency states that Israel must `use munitions in accordance with international humanitarian law`, US officials have so far not laid out any specific conditions for the
President Biden has repeatedly called on Israel to show restraint in attacking Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip, but refused to endorse calls for a ceasefire.
Previously, Mr. Blinken also used the same reason to authorize the sale of nearly 14,000 120mm tank artillery rounds to Israel earlier this month.
Artillery shells will be taken from US stockpiles.
Washington has provided Kiev with more than 2 million 155mm ammunition since February 2022, and since January this year, the US has transferred ammunition from stockpiles in Israel and South Korea to Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of artillery shells intended for Ukraine were then sent back to Israel to replace the shells taken 10 months earlier.
US President Joe Biden is lobbying Congress to pass a $105 billion spending bill, including $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine and $14.3 billion in military aid to Israel.
Democrats had pushed for an even more expensive $111 billion bill, but Republicans rejected both texts before Congress went into winter recess two weeks ago.
As many Republican lawmakers expressed reservations about continuing aid to the Ukrainian military, the party has said it will not support any aid bill that does not include
Israel has been waging war against Hamas since the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people.
After three weeks of aerial attacks on Gaza, Israeli tanks and soldiers have entered the strip, besieging Gaza City in the north and conducting probing attacks on settlements and refugee camps in
