Senate Blocks Weapon Sale Ban Amid Gaza Conflict Debate

The U.S. Senate rejected a bill halting some weapon sales to Israel, driven by concerns over Gaza's human rights crisis. Despite support from some Democrats, the bipartisan backing for Israel proved strong. The measures aimed to push U.S. policy towards protecting civilians in conflict zones.

In a decisive move on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate blocked legislation seeking to suspend the sale of certain weapons to Israel. This comes amid growing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians face dire living conditions.

Introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders and backed by a faction of the Democratic caucus, the resolution sought to prohibit sales including tank rounds. However, with 79 Senators opposing and only 18 supporting, the resolution faced overwhelming resistance, underscoring the strong, bipartisan backing for Israel in the Senate.

While the measures were unlikely to pass due to the pervasive support for Israel, supporters of the resolution aimed to influence both the Israeli government and President Biden's administration to enhance protections for civilians in Gaza, where over 43,922 Palestinians have reportedly been killed amid ongoing conflicts.

(With inputs from agencies.)