Overview
- At a Jerusalem press briefing, Benjamin Netanyahu said some IDF soldiers died in Gaza because Israel ran short of ammunition, which he partly attributed to a U.S. 'embargo' he says ended once Donald Trump took office.
- Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk rejected the claim as false, highlighting extensive U.S. support during the war and publicly noting more than $20 billion in assistance and regional military deployments.
- U.S. officials acknowledge holding back a single shipment of heavy bombs in 2024 over concerns about potential use in Rafah, while denying a broader arms embargo.
- Israeli journalist Amit Segal and other commentators allege additional holds on bulldozers and heavy munitions that they argue put troops at risk, assertions that remain disputed.
- Reporting and military briefings cited in Israeli coverage say no official probe has found a soldier’s death directly caused by a lack of available ammunition, as Netanyahu also presses to reduce Israel’s reliance on U.S. aid and expand domestic production.