Netanyahu says U.S. arms delay contributed to Israeli deaths in Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a news conference on Tuesday night that Israeli soldiers died during the Gaza war because of a shortage of ammunition caused in part by the United States holding back some weapons deliveries, according to The New York Times on Jan. 29, 2026.
He did not explicitly name the Biden administration but implied a change since President Trump took office. The accusation drew a sharp rebuke from former Biden administration Middle East official Amos Hochstein, who wrote on social media: “After more than $20 Billion military support” and “SAVING countless lives of Israelis,” the only acceptable response to President Biden and the American people “is THANK YOU.” Mr.
Netanyahu framed the claim as part of a broader push to end Israel’s dependency on annual American military aid and to move “from aid to partnership.” Israel is preparing to begin negotiations on a memorandum of understanding for a multiyear package; the last 10-year package provided $38 billion, was signed in 2016 and is set to expire in 2028.
That deal phased out a special provision that had allowed Israel to use about a quarter of the money to buy Israeli arms. The Times notes that the United States has provided about $174 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding to Israel to date. During the two-year Gaza war, Congress approved more than $14 billion in emergency military assistance in April 2024.
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