US plans to send weapons to Israel even as Biden pushes for cease-fire: report

The Biden administration is gearing up to send bombs and other weapons to Israel that would add to the Middle East nation’s military stockpile even as the United States pushes for a ceasefire with Hamas, according to a report.

The proposed weapons delivery would include roughly a thousand each of MK-82 bombs; KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which add precision guidance to bombs; and FMU-139 bomb fuses, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing current and former US officials.

The arms delivery is estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars, the outlet noted.

The delivery is still under internal review by the Biden administration, a US official told The Journal, but the proposal’s details may change by the time the White House alerts Congress for its approval of the weapons transfer.  

The Biden administration has made efforts to speed up delivering weapons to Israel in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks killing 1,200 people in the Jewish state and kidnapping 253, officials told The Journal. Twice now, the White House has bypassed congressional review of weapons sales to Israel. 

Biden has vociferously sided with Israel in the wake of the terror attacks, but this month criticized its military response as “over the top” and said he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow much-needed humanitarian aid for Palestinian to enter Gaza.  

He has said that his administration is in talks with Israel’s Middle East neighbors to broker a ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.