The United States has given Israel a 30-day deadline to improve humanitarian aid access in Gaza or risk losing some of its military support.
This warning, conveyed in a letter on Sunday, marks the strongest written warning from the US to its ally to date.
“We are now writing to underscore the US government’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory,” the letter states, signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The letter expresses deep concerns about Israel’s actions, including the denial or impediment of nearly 90% of humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza last month. “Israel must, starting now and within 30 days, act on a series of concrete measures to boost aid supplies,” the letter adds.
An Israeli official acknowledged the letter, saying, “Israel takes this matter seriously and intends to address the concerns raised with US counterparts.” However, Israel has previously claimed it is targeting Hamas operatives in northern Gaza, not restricting humanitarian aid entry.
The Israeli military body responsible for managing crossings into Gaza, Cogat, reported that 30 lorries carrying aid from the World Food Programme entered northern Gaza through the Erez crossing on Monday.
A UN official described Gaza’s situation as a “constant peak emergency.” Antoine Renard, head of the World Food Programme in the occupied Palestinian territories, noted, “People in the north of the territory are relying solely on assistance, with practically no access to fresh food other than that provided by UN agencies.”
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized, “Recipients of US military assistance do not arbitrarily deny or impede provisioning of US humanitarian aid. That’s just the law, and we will follow the law.” When asked about potential consequences for Israel if it fails to comply, Miller declined to speculate.
“We hope Israel will make the changes that we have outlined,” Miller said. “The 30-day time limit was not linked to the upcoming US presidential election on November 5. It was appropriate to give them time to work through the different issues.”
Israel has until November 14 to comply with the US demands, which include surging humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza before winter, enabling a minimum of 350 lorries a day to enter through all four major crossings and a new fifth crossing, allowing people in al-Mawasi to move inland, and ending the isolation of northern Gaza.
Khalid, a resident of Jabalia, described the dire situation: “We were told to go to the south, but we couldn’t because the Israeli army has surrounded the area. We can’t move; it’s too difficult. My daughter has become sick and has a fever. Her entire body is shaking in fear because of the sound of the bombings, and I don’t know what to do with her.”
Over 42,340 people have been killed since Israel launched its campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023.
BBC/NGG
