The Israeli-Palestinian war has finally come to a halt, as U.S. President Joe Biden announced Thursday (May 20) that Washington will resupply Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, which has been severely depleted in the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“(Israeli) Prime Minister …… shared with me his appreciation for the Iron Dome system, which we developed together and which has saved the lives of countless Israeli citizens, both Arabs and Jews.” “I assured him of my full support in replenishing Israel’s Iron Dome system to ensure its future defense and security,” Biden said in a statement.
According to an official statement, Israel’s security cabinet unanimously approved a bilateral unconditional cease-fire agreement proposed by Egypt, which will take effect at 23:00 GMT Thursday. Biden’s remarks followed the Israeli move.
Biden had also pledged to provide rapid humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance to Palestinians in Gaza following the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Biden reiterated Thursday, “We remain committed to working with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and lead international support for the people of Gaza and for Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.”
Meanwhile, the IDF said a new batch of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel just minutes before the cease-fire went into effect.
“More rockets are being fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. An important reminder: since last Monday, terrorists in Gaza have fired more than 4,340 rockets into Israel.” The IDF tweeted.
Israel relies heavily on the Iron Dome defense system to intercept thousands of rockets fired from Gaza and other directions. Israel has used its Iron Dome missile defense system for a decade, but never as much as it has used in the past few days.
An Iron Dome defense system battery in the southern Israeli town of Ashdod, photographed March 30, 2019, is used to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Israel now has 10 Iron Dome batteries, each with a radar detection and tracking system, a launch control system and three or four rocket launchers, each with 20 interceptor missiles, each with a range of 4 to 70 kilometers.
The cost of launching a single missile is reportedly about $80,000, and experts calculate that 13 Iron Dome systems would be needed to defend all of Israel.
The United States funded the development of the Iron Dome system and has since purchased two Iron Dome batteries of its own.
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