The US has issued an ultimatum to Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza over the next month, warning of possible restrictions on military assistance if demands are not met.
It is the sternest warning from the US since Israel's war with Hamas began a year ago. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israeli officials demanding concrete measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The United States is demanding that Israel allow at least 350 aid trucks to enter Gaza every day within 30 days, impose a pause in fighting to deliver aid, and lift evacuation orders for Palestinian civilians when there is no operational need.
If the demands are not met, the US could reconsider its policy on Israel, citing a law prohibiting the provision of military assistance to countries that impede the delivery of American humanitarian aid. The White House has expressed concern about restrictions on commercial imports, a ban on the movement of humanitarian supplies between northern and southern Gaza, and “onerous and excessive” restrictions on goods entering Gaza.
The letter notes the urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Israel says it takes the matter seriously and intends to discuss the concerns raised in the letter with its American counterparts.
