US ignores 30-day deadline given to Israel to improve Gaza aid

The Biden administration sidestepped its 30-day deadline for Israel to provide significantly more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip or face arms cuts, and only said some progress had been made.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday that Israel has done much to address American concerns but more needs to be done.

“At this time we have not assessed whether the Israelis are violating US law,” Patel told reporters. “If we don’t see steps being taken, we will certainly enforce U.S. law as appropriate.”

The decision follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warning their Israeli counterparts in a joint letter on October 13 about the “increasingly serious” situation in Gaza and giving Israel 30 days to improve the situation. Time of day is given. The letter became public, although it was intended to establish a private marker.

The October letter stressed that US law requires countries receiving US arms to “facilitate, and not arbitrarily deny, restrict or otherwise” provide humanitarian assistance provided or supported by the US. Must be interrupted”.

However, aid groups disputed the US findings of improved aid. On Tuesday, eight groups including Oxfam and Save the Children said Israel had “failed” to address the specific criteria set out in the letter and that Israel’s actions had indeed “dramatically worsened” the humanitarian situation.

On Friday, the UN-affiliated Famine Review Committee issued a warning of an “imminent and substantial possibility of famine” due to the “rapidly deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip”. It warned that action was needed within days and that access to food was at critical levels and “rapidly deteriorating.”

In their letter, Blinken and Austin called on Israel to allow at least 350 trucks of aid a day into Gaza, increase security for the movement of aid sites and humanitarian workers, and end the isolation of northern Gaza, among other actions .

Patel said Tuesday that Israel has taken several steps, including reopening a crossing into Gaza, waiving some tough customs requirements for aid shipments and opening new delivery routes within Gaza, adding that the Israeli government should More needs to be done. He said only 404 trucks entered Gaza between November 1 and November 9 – far less than the 350 per day demanded in the US letter.

When Patel was asked repeatedly how the US determined that the situation was improving, Patel said, “I wouldn’t see it as giving them leeway.” When aid groups said the situation was getting worse. “I don’t want us to get trapped in specific truck numbers,” he said during questioning.

Blinken reviewed steps taken by Israel on Monday with the country’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, the State Department said in a statement, but stressed that “those changes will ensure real improvement in the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.” The importance was emphasized.”

Aid groups have accused Israeli forces of imposing an effective siege of northern Gaza in pursuit of Iran-backed militants, disrupting the delivery of food and medical supplies.

Blinken and other US officials have repeatedly pressed Israel to stop the disruption of food, water and other supplies into Gaza since Hamas militants who rule the strip launched their attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which War broke out. Now in its second year.

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