Israel lacks 'credible plan' to safeguard Rafah civilians, says Blinken

U.S. withholds bombs from Israel over concerns for civilian safety in Gaza's Rafah, awaiting credible protection plan.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday defended a decision to pause a delivery to Israel of 3,500 bombs over concerns they could be used in the Gazan city of Rafah, saying Israel lacked a “credible plan” to protect some 1.4 million civilians sheltering there.

Speaking to ABC News’ This Week, Mr. Blinken said that U.S. President Joe Biden remains determined to help Israel defend itself and that the shipment of 3,500 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs was the only U.S. weapons package being withheld.

That could change, he said, if Israel launches a full-scale attack on Rafah.

Mr. Biden has made clear to Israel that if it “launches this major military operation to Rafah, then there are certain systems that we are not going to be supporting and supplying,” Mr. Blinken said.

“We have real concerns about the way they are used,” he said. Israel needs to “have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we have not seen.”