Israel buys advanced drones worth $40 million amid its war on Gaza

JERUSALEM

Israel said Tuesday that it purchased advanced drones worth around $40 million amid its deadly war on the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry said it “has completed several contracts with Elbit Systems totaling approximately $40 million.”

Under the contracts, Elbit Systems, an Israeli military company, will supply the army “with advanced drones and autonomous systems to upgrade the operational capabilities of its forces in the field,” it added.

“They include advanced capabilities and are designed for various missions, including precise intelligence gathering and targeted strikes,” the ministry said.

Since launching its genocidal war on Gaza following a Hamas attack in October last year, Israel has killed over 44,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 105,000, according to official figures.

The second year of the genocide in Gaza has drawn widespread international condemnation, noting that starvation tactics and blocking humanitarian aid deliveries amount to deliberate attempts to destroy an entire population.

Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its actions in Gaza, which have drawn mounting international condemnation.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala