U.S. Report On Israel War Conduct Is "Delayed"

The Biden administration’s report on whether Israel has violated U.S. and international humanitarian law during the war in Gaza has been delayed indefinitely, three Senate aides and a House aide told POLITICO.

The State Department has been expected to issue a report Wednesday with a determination on whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law since the war in Gaza began. If so, the U.S. would be expected to stop sending Israel military assistance.

But the report won’t be finished by Wednesday, said the aides, granted anonymity to discuss internal communications. In an email, the Biden administration notified the Hill that it will miss the date — without providing a clear reason why.

The email said the report is “briefly delayed,” but doesn’t provide a specific timeline.

That’s more definitive than the message from State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller to reporters on Tuesday afternoon. He said that the report wasn’t yet finished, but added: “We are trying very hard to meet that deadline … It’s possible it slips just a little bit, but we are trying to get it done by tomorrow.” Miller noted that the deadline was a self-imposed one rather than a requirement.

Asked why the report is delayed, the National Security Council deferred to State. The State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.