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The US has taken steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, despite human rights groups claiming that Palestinians in the shattered enclave are “starving”. He said he would not withhold military aid to the United States.
“Over the past 30 days, Israel has taken a number of steps to address the measures outlined in the letter,” State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel said Tuesday, referring to a message the U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of State sent to Israel last month. I’ve come,” he said. defense.
“At this time, we have not assessed that the Israelis have violated U.S. law,” he added.
Last month, the US government directed Israel to take “urgent and sustained action” within 30 days to improve the dire situation in the Palestinian enclaves, or risk US military aid to Israel. warned that there is a possibility of exposure.
But on Monday, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken was briefed by Israeli Strategy Minister Ron Dermer on how the government had improved the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Biden administration decided no further action was necessary. did.
U.S. officials said they still expect Israel to allow more aid trucks into the Gaza Strip to improve conditions in the enclave.
Patel said the United States had “made some progress” and had no intention of changing its policy on providing arms to Israel.
But in a report released Tuesday, just as the U.S. deadline expired, eight aid groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Anera and the Norwegian Refugee Council, found that Israel was a “None of the criteria have been met,” he said. month.
“Not only did Israel fail to meet U.S. standards for demonstrating support for the humanitarian response, it simultaneously took actions that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground, particularly in northern Gaza,” the report said.
“People are starving in Gaza. Israeli military operations have denied vital food aid and basic necessities, resulting in near-starvation conditions for 800,000 Palestinian civilians across Gaza. ”
The US’ request last month came after Israel launched a new offensive in the northern part of the enclave, killing hundreds and displacing thousands, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The demands included at least 350 aid trucks entering Gaza daily. Open new routes to the enclave to deliver aid. People evacuated to the overcrowded coastal “humanitarian zone” of Al Mawashi will be moved inland ahead of winter. Ensure aid groups have “continued access” to northern Gaza. and the suspension of a law aimed at preventing UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating in Gaza.
Former President Donald Trump’s victory in last week’s US presidential election meant that any action taken by the Biden administration towards Israel would likely be reversed when he takes office in January.
President Trump’s announcement Tuesday that he is nominating former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel signals the new administration’s continued support for Israel’s policies in the West Bank and Gaza. . Huckabee has been a passionate defender of Israel and its claims to the West Bank.
U.S. officials said Tuesday that Israel has reopened the Erez crossing into Gaza, opened a checkpoint in Kisfim, and is working with Jordan to waive customs requirements, and that the U.S. government is increasing the number of aid shipments. He said he also addressed the issue of checkpoint capacity, which he believes will lead to an increase in
But a report by eight aid organizations, including Mercy Corps, MedGlobal, Refugees International and CARE, found that Israel had not met 15 of the US’s 19 demands and only partially met the remaining four. It turned out that it wasn’t.
The report also said aid deliveries to Gaza have fallen far short of U.S. requests, with an average of only 42 trucks entering the Gaza Strip per day since the U.S. issued the letter. Aid groups’ access to northern Gaza also remains restricted, with the United Nations saying on Tuesday that Israel had rejected 33 of the 50 requests aid groups made to Israeli authorities for access to northern Gaza in October. announced.
Meanwhile, Israel has now passed legislation that will make it difficult for UNRWA to operate in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The report said only a limited number of people were able to move inland in Almawashi and additional aid facilities entering Gaza were expected to open today.
Israeli authorities on Monday flatly rejected the description of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip presented by the United Nations and other international aid groups.
“There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, of course,” one Israeli official said, adding that the demands in the US letter did not fully reflect “the reality on the ground” and that behind it hinted that there may have been “considerations”.
The official said Israel had already done much of what was asked of it, including increasing humanitarian aid across the Strip, after what it called a “very weak” October due to Jewish holidays and an increase in military operations. He said that
But even Israeli military data shows no noticeable increase in aid arrivals so far in November.
Data visualization with Aditi Bhandari
