Here are today’s latest news briefs on Israel and its war against Hamas.
Biden Administration blocks arms shipment to Israel
The Biden administration on Tuesday night confirmed reports that it had held up a munitions shipment to Israel.
A senior official told CBS News that the United States last week stopped a delivery of thousands of heavy bombs over fears that they could be used during Israel’s military operation in Rafah.
It marks the first time since the Hamas-led assault on the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7 and ensuing war in Gaza that Washington has held up arms supplies to its Middle Eastern ally. The shipment included large bombs capable of destroying terrorist tunnels.
The Biden administration has also reportedly held up the delivery of thousands of precision weapons to Israel amid the Jewish state’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
READ: Americans support Israel entering Rafah to destroy Hamas
According to a Wall Street Journal report on Monday, citing officials familiar with the deal, at issue is the sale of up to 6,500 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs)—a guidance kit that converts “dumb bombs” into “smart” precision-guided munitions. These weapons are used to target Hamas terrorists while reducing civilian casualties.
The weapons shipments are being held up to send a political message, a separate report by Politico cited a U.S. official as saying on Tuesday. Critics of the administration have questioned why shipments would be stopped now, as Israel is on the cusp of freesing Gaza of Hamas military operations.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) wrote to the president that, “This recent diversion is just another example of your failure to support our allies and carry out your duties in fear of the repercussions from the pro-terrorist, pro-Hamas faction of your party,” he added. “Sources within your administration say this pause does not represent a change in policy toward Israel, but your silence and deceit speak volumes.”
Pier ready to move to Gaza
Photo: US Central Command.
The U.S. military completed construction of a floating pier and separately of its “causeway,” or “Trident” section, that will be anchored to the Gaza shore, JNS is reporting. But weather has delayed the delivery of the components to the Gaza area, Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary, said during a briefing on Tuesday.
U.S. Central Command “temporarily paused moving the floating pier and Trident pier toward the vicinity of Gaza due to sea state considerations” late last week, Singh said.
Pier-building begins
Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway.
The pier will support @USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. @USTRANSCOM and @USEUCOM support the movement of… pic.twitter.com/tC9J12wz4Z
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 29, 2024
The two sections of the floating pier “are complete and awaiting final movement offshore” as of Tuesday, Singh said.
“It’s expected that initially about 90 truckloads of supplies will transit the causeway each day and make their way into Gaza,” per the Pentagon. “When the operation reaches full capacity, as many as 150 trucks will make their way into Gaza daily.”
Contrary to media reporting, the amount of food and shipments of other supplies entering Gaza exceeds the amount prior to the war.
Jewish tourists die around world
An unusually high number of Jewish tourists are dying around the world.
An Israeli woman in her 20s died in Rio de Janeiro on Monday under circumstances that remain unclear, reports JNS.org.
“This is a sad and difficult case where a young Israeli woman was killed as a result of a fall from height in Rio de Janeiro,” the ministry said on Tuesday night. Alma Bohadana, from Kibbutz Yasur in the Western Galilee, died after falling 50 feet in a forest. Authorities are investigating whether she may have been fleeing a robbery attempt.
Also this week, a Jewish businessman with triple Israeli, Canadian and Russian citizenship was killed in Alexandria, Egypt. Authorities were investigating the incident as a case of murder. The Israeli Foreign Ministry was also looking into the incident.
A Jewish Canadian was shot dead Tuesday in Egypt.
–From wire reports and JNS.org