The United States recently clarified that it does not believe Israel is breaching American laws regarding aid to Gaza, though it has called for faster progress in the humanitarian crisis. This statement comes hot on the heels of a warning from the Biden administration last month, suggesting it might reconsider military support if conditions didn’t improve.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed their concerns to Israel in a letter, indicating they were “deeply troubled” by the dire humanitarian situation prevailing in Gaza. They set a deadline of November 13, urging Israel to adhere to US laws aimed at facilitating humanitarian aid.
When asked if Israel had fulfilled these expectations, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel stated, “We have not concluded that they are in violation of US law.” Patel elaborated, “The overall humanitarian conditions in Gaza are still far from adequate. However, the crux of the issue is not about our assessment of satisfaction, but rather about the tangible actions we observe.”
“We’re looking for more concrete actions. We seek to see these efforts not just as a one-off but maintained over time, with the ultimate goal of effecting meaningful change on the ground,” Patel added.
This line of thought comes despite Israel failing to meet several specific metrics outlined in the earlier correspondence, specifically regarding the daily entry of at least 350 trucks into Gaza. Though Patel mentioned that the U.S. has identified “some progress” in terms of aid entering the region and the opening of new crossing points, it seems that the situation still requires significant improvement.
“As this 30-day period concludes, our evaluation will continue. If we don’t observe consistent advancement or tangible results, we will reevaluate Israel’s compliance with international standards,” he explained.
However, with the current administration having roughly nine weeks left before the transition of power to incoming President Donald Trump, whose stance is expected to favor a much looser approach toward Israel, the urgency of the matter feels heightened. Meanwhile, the UN has raised alarms about the already scant humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza diminishing even further, with the northern region facing a catastrophic situation.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which aids Palestinian refugees, reported that the already limited aid funneling into Gaza has further declined as Israel announced the opening of yet another aid entry point just before the U.S. deadline.
Louise Wateridge, an UNRWA emergencies officer, spoke at a media brief in Geneva about the troubling state of affairs, asserting that aid entering Gaza was at its lowest in months. She stated, “In October, we averaged a meager 37 trucks a day for 2.2 million individuals.”
“Children are perishing, and lives are lost every day,” she lamented, emphasizing, “the people are in desperate need of everything.” The conditions in northern Gaza are particularly harrowing, with a recent UN assessment indicating that famine looms large.
According to Wateridge, there was a complete ban on food entering northern Gaza for an entire month, with repeated UN requests for access to the area denied. She painted a distressing picture based on accounts from the north, saying the situation is “endlessly horrific and growing more critical by the hour.”
Reports indicate that hospitals have been bombed, healthcare providers are running out of blood supplies, and essential medications are dangerously low. “There are bodies in the streets,” she added, providing a stark image of the turmoil.
As Israel has been pursuing its military operations to neutralize Hamas following the group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, which led to over 1,200 fatalities, mostly among civilians, its retaliatory actions in Gaza have reportedly resulted in staggering losses—43,603 lives, according to the health ministry in Gaza, which the UN regards as a credible source.
In light of the urgent humanitarian crisis, the Israeli military announced it had sent hundreds of food packets to isolated regions in northern Gaza as the conflict escalated ahead of the U.S. deadline for improved aid conditions. Reports claim that 24 people died from Israeli airstrikes just overnight, and at least four Israeli soldiers were killed in ongoing operations.
The military maintains that it has neutralized or apprehended hundreds of militants, but international outcry regarding the humanitarian disaster facing civilians has mounted, increasingly spotlighting the humanitarian cost of their operations.
Echoing the urgency of the situation, Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, stated, “We’re witnessing alarming rates of malnutrition among adults and children. There are days we struggle to provide even a single meal for our medical staff amid critical shortages of food and medical supplies.”
“Lives are being lost daily due to the inadequacy of specialized care and resources,” he concluded grimly. Meanwhile, a recent report from a committee of global food security experts hinted at the likelihood of impending famine in parts of northern Gaza—a claim that Israel vehemently disputes.
In response to U.S. demands, Israel asserted it had opened a fifth crossing into Gaza to facilitate additional aid deliveries. They claimed that substantial food and water supplies had been sent to distribution centers, with hundreds of food packages dispatched.
However, humanitarian organizations argue that the efforts are insufficient and that ongoing military actions have aggravated the plight of those affected. The grim reality on the ground paints a picture of a situation desperate for immediate action and support.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
