President Biden declared on May 8 that the US would not supply Israel with weapons if Israel invades the Gaza city of Rafah.

Biden has acknowledged that southern Gaza is densely populated with more than a million Palestinians seeking shelter. He warned that an invasion of this city would result in heavy civilian casualties. Over such concerns of casualties, Biden announced a halt to the shipments of “weapons and artillery shells” to stop Israel’s attack. However, the US would continuously aid Israel with defensive arms, including its Iron Dome air defense system.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has rejected the US’s warnings, claiming that Israel would continue to eradicate Hamas even if it has to do so alone. Their diverging stance reveals the growing rift between Biden’s administration and Netanyahu’s government, departing from their previously aligned positions.

“The US has blindly backed Israel for decades,” Steve Nave, World History teacher, said. “I feel like this is a step towards the right direction if it can hold Israel back from killing Palestinian civilians.”