A current and former American official told Reuters that President Joe Biden's administration asked Congress to approve the sale of 45,000 shells for Merkava tanks to Israel.

They explained that the goal of the deal is to be used by Israel to fight Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip.

The request comes amid increasing demands to stop the war, which Washington opposes.

The United States opened an air bridge to transport weapons to Israel, since the start of its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, Israel announced the reception of the 200th plane in the American air bridge to transport weapons, ammunition and military equipment.

In the latest toll, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that more than 17,000 Palestinians were killed and more than 46,000 injured in the Israeli bombing of the Strip.