ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country needs more ammunition from the United States in “the war for its existence”, directly addressing the White House after it criticised him for complaining about arms deliveries for its war on Gaza in Palestine. 

“I am prepared to suffer personal attacks provided that Israel receives the ammunition from the US that it needs in the war for its existence,” he said in a statement.

The Israeli leader’s comments came after he apparently angered Washington with a video statement this week accusing the US of “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel”.

US officials have said they were not aware of what Netanyahu was referring to.

“Those comments were deeply disappointing and certainly vexing to us, given the amount of support that we have and will continue to provide,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists earlier today.

The White House said that there is only one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs that is under review because of concerns about their use in densely populated areas in Gaza.

Kirby separately said that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is due to meet his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer today.

The US is Israel’s main military backer, while also providing diplomatic cover. It provides over $3 billion in aid annually and since the beginning of the conflict in October last year has sent Israel at least $12.5 billion in military aid, according to the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

The Biden Administration has at times voiced frustration over the enormous civilian death toll in Gaza and the lack of aid entering the territory, but apart from one arms shipment, US support for Israel has been unwavering since October.

The Gaza Ministry of Health said today that at least 37,431 people have been killed in the last eight months, with another 85,653 people wounded. 

With reporting from AFP.