U.S. intelligence agencies temporarily suspended sharing some sensitive information with Israel during the Biden administration amid mounting concerns over Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, according to six people familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The move, which included cutting off a live U.S. drone video feed over Gaza, reflected rare and serious tensions within one of Washington’s closest intelligence partnerships.
Reuters reported that in the second half of 2024, the United States shut down a real-time video feed from a U.S. drone flying over Gaza that Israel had been using to track Hamas militants and locate hostages. Five sources said the suspension lasted at least several days. U.S. officials also restricted how Israel could use certain American intelligence in targeting high-value military objectives, according to two sources who declined to specify the timing.
All sources spoke anonymously to Reuters due to the sensitivity of intelligence-sharing arrangements. The decisions were driven by growing alarm within the U.S. intelligence community over the high number of civilian deaths in Gaza and concerns that Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, was mistreating Palestinian detainees. Several sources said U.S. officials believed Israel had not provided adequate assurances that American intelligence would be used in line with the law of war, a legal requirement under U.S. law.
While the Biden administration publicly maintained a policy of continuous support for Israel, including weapons and intelligence sharing, Reuters reported that the internal intelligence restrictions were described as limited and tactical. Officials aimed to ensure compliance with U.S. legal standards rather than to signal a broader policy shift. One source said intelligence agencies have discretion to make real-time sharing decisions without explicit White House approval, while another said Israel was required to provide new assurances before access could be restored.
Reuters said it could not determine whether President Joe Biden was aware of the initial suspensions or their exact timing. A spokesperson for Biden did not respond to requests for comment. Intelligence sharing resumed after Israel provided assurances that it would adhere to U.S. rules governing the use of shared intelligence.
Experts told Reuters that denying battlefield intelligence to a close ally during an active conflict is highly unusual and indicative of significant strain. Former U.S. intelligence officials said such moves are politically sensitive, especially given long-standing U.S.-Israeli intelligence ties and strong bipartisan support for Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war.
Following that attack, Reuters reported that Biden signed a memorandum directing U.S. agencies to expand intelligence cooperation with Israel. The U.S. quickly deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones over Gaza, providing live feeds to assist Israel in locating Hamas fighters and recovering hostages. However, toward the end of 2024, U.S. intelligence officials received information raising fresh concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners, prompting the suspension of the drone feed after Shin Bet failed to provide sufficient assurances, according to sources.
The intelligence pause occurred even as the administration concluded it was still legally permissible to continue supplying Israel with weapons and intelligence, despite internal fears that Israeli operations might be violating international law. Gaza health authorities say more than 70,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the conflict.
Reuters reported that U.S. intelligence analysts repeatedly assessed whether actions by Israel or Hamas could constitute war crimes under U.S. definitions. While these were not formal legal determinations, they raised serious concerns among analysts. Nonetheless, administration lawyers ultimately maintained that Israel had not violated international law.
In the final weeks of the Biden administration, senior national security officials met at the White House to consider formally cutting off some intelligence sharing that had expanded after October 7, Reuters said. Intelligence officials argued their concerns had deepened, including new information suggesting Israel’s own military lawyers believed evidence could support war crimes charges. Biden ultimately chose not to halt the intelligence flow, citing legal conclusions and the expectation that a future Trump administration would renew the partnership.
