International Desk || WASHINGTON Two senior Democratic lawmakers have blocked a proposed $2.8 billion US arms sale to Israel, citing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza and Israel’s military actions in the region.Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, objected to the financing of the proposed arms package. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also moved to block the shipment.According to The Hill and Semafor, the proposed deal includes nearly 40,000 powerful bombs, each weighing about one tonne, or 2,000 pounds. The Biden administration had previously withheld shipments of such heavy bombs over concerns about widespread civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza.Shaheen said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to take effective steps to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza or address concerns raised by Democratic lawmakers.She also criticised Israel’s bombing campaign in Syria and the growing violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.Under US rules, the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee can place an informal hold on major arms sales. The State Department generally has to address lawmakers’ concerns before finalising such deals.Meeks recently said there were serious doubts over whether the Netanyahu government would use US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law and US regulations.Speaking to CNN, Shaheen said, We are all deeply concerned about what Israel is doing. The destruction in Gaza and the bombing in Syria are a serious threat to the overall peace process in the Middle East.She also called for a clear message from Washington to Netanyahu, saying Palestinians were being killed and displaced and their infrastructure destroyed in the occupied West Bank amid attacks by extremist settlers.According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, nearly 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli attacks over the past three years, with women and children making up a large share of the deaths.The proposed arms sale has therefore triggered renewed opposition among US lawmakers, putting the Trump administration’s efforts to provide Israel with heavy weapons under increased scrutiny.