The US Senate has blocked a bill that would have halted some arms sales to Israel, introduced by independent Senator Bernie Sanders, along with a number of Democratic lawmakers.

The bill was supported by 18 members, while 79 of the 100 members of the Senate opposed the resolution, which, if passed, would have stopped the sale of tank ammunition to Israel.

The Senate is scheduled to vote later on two other resolutions that would halt shipments of two other types of offensive military equipment.

All votes in favor of the measure were from Democrats, while those who opposed it included representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Supporters of the bill hoped that forcing a vote would encourage the Israeli government and President Joe Biden's administration to do more to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The bill was introduced amid the escalating humanitarian catastrophe facing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and comes after the expiry of a 30-day deadline set by the Biden administration earlier this month for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "improve the humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip and allow relief aid to be delivered.

The resolution was expected to fail, as many members of Congress have shown steadfast support for Israel, a historic U.S. ally, and approval to block the sale, if it were to happen, would represent a shift in congressional support for Israel, which for years has been the largest recipient of U.S. military aid.

Washington accused of collusion

Earlier, left-wing members of the US Senate called on President Joe Biden's administration to stop supplying Israel with weapons, accusing Washington of complicity in the atrocities of the war on the Gaza Strip.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Va.) and several Democratic lawmakers introduced several texts condemning U.S. aid to Israel, which constitute the draft resolution voted on today.

He stressed that "the United States is complicit in these atrocities, and this complicity must stop, and this is the content of these draft resolutions."

"What is happening in Gaza is unspeakable," Sanders said at a news conference, referring to the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in the Palestinian enclave, the destruction of buildings, and "Israel's prevention of the entry of much-needed humanitarian aid."

"But what makes the situation even more painful is that the bulk of what is happening there is being carried out with American weapons and with the support of American taxpayers," he added.

Today, Sanders returned to accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of violating international and American law and human rights and obstructing the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip.

During a press conference held at the US Senate, Sanders showed pictures showing the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, as a result of the genocide carried out by Israel.

The proposed aid to Israel, which according to the rejected bill is banned, includes tank ammunition, F-15IA aircraft and mortars.

The Israeli aggression on Gaza has so far resulted in about 148 thousand martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10 thousand missing, amidst massive destruction and famine that killed dozens of children and elderly people, in one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.