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U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to hold up delivery of high payload munitions to Israel was taken in the context of Israel's plans to carry out an offensive in Rafah that Washington opposes without new civilian safeguards, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday.
"We've been very clear...from the very beginning that Israel shouldn't launch a major attack into the Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battlespace. And again, as we have assessed the situation, we have paused one shipment of high payload munitions," he told a Senate hearing. "We've not made a final determination on how to proceed with that shipment."
Austin's remarks come after the Biden administration has postponed a scheduled ammunition shipment to Israel that was due last week. This marks the first instance of such a delay by the U.S. since October 7, amid objections to a proposed ground operation in Rafah, a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he's committed to.
On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu addressed the global criticism of Israel since the war began, especially concerning potential actions in Rafah.
"The first lesson of the Holocaust is this: if we do not protect ourselves - no one will protect us," he said. "And if we need to stand alone - we will stand alone. We will defend ourselves in every way, overcome our enemies, and ensure our security - in the Gaza Strip, on the northern border, everywhere."