In a significant policy shift, U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed the American military to release a hold on supplying Israel with powerful 2,000-pound bombs. The hold had been put in place by former President Joe Biden due to humanitarian concerns about the potential impact on civilians, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
Trump confirmed the resumption of bomb deliveries while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday. “We released them. We released them today,” he stated. “They paid for them and they’ve been waiting for them for a long time. They’ve been in storage.”
Reversing Biden’s Cautious Approach
The decision to resume the flow of these heavy bombs marks a stark contrast to the more restrained policy of the Biden administration. Amid Israel’s recent war with Palestinian militants in Gaza, Biden had paused the delivery of one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. This pause reflected growing international concern about the humanitarian toll of the conflict, especially the impact on Gaza’s civilian population.
When pressed on his rationale for releasing the bombs, Trump offered a succinct explanation: “Because they bought them.” This transactional view sets aside the complex considerations that had guided Biden’s more cautious approach.
Destructive Potential Raises Alarm
The 2,000-pound bombs in question are immensely destructive, capable of ripping through thick concrete and metal and creating a wide blast radius. Human rights advocates have long warned about the devastating impact such weapons can have when used in densely populated areas like Gaza.
One 2,000-pound bomb can rip through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide blast radius.
Israel’s assault on Gaza to combat Hamas militants has already killed over 47,000 people according to the Gaza health ministry, displacing nearly the strip’s entire population of 2.3 million and causing a hunger crisis. The use of such powerful U.S.-supplied bombs in this context has fueled accusations of war crimes and even genocide, which Israel vehemently denies.
Calls for Restraint Go Unheeded
The resumption of bomb deliveries comes despite growing calls from the international community for an arms embargo on Israel. Protesters have demanded a halt to the billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Israel, arguing that it enables and prolongs the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.
However, both Trump and Biden have remained steadfast supporters of Israel, viewing it as a crucial U.S. ally in the volatile Middle East. They maintain that American assistance is necessary to help Israel defend against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
Displacement Proposal Raises Eyebrows
In a surprising suggestion, Trump also called on Jordan and Egypt to absorb more Palestinians from Gaza to address the “real mess” in the densely populated enclave. “I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess,” he recounted telling Jordan’s King Abdullah in a phone call.
Critics quickly pointed out that this proposal amounts to supporting the forcible displacement of Palestinians, a stance that the U.S. government had previously opposed. With Gaza’s pre-war population at around 2.3 million, Trump’s off-the-cuff suggestion of relocating “a million and a half people” and “cleaning out that whole thing” struck many as both unrealistic and insensitive to the plight of Palestinians.
An Intractable Conflict Rages On
The decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains as intractable as ever, with this latest war in Gaza showcasing its devastating human toll. As the U.S. resumes sending powerful bombs that could exacerbate civilian suffering, the prospects for a just and lasting peace seem increasingly remote.
For now, the roar of American-made explosives looks set to once again shatter the skies over Gaza, adding yet another harrowing chapter to a generations-long story of violence, displacement, and shattered lives on both sides of this bitter divide.
