US Warns Israel: Improve Aid to Gaza or Risk Losing Military Assistance, Sets 30-Day Deadline
The United States has issued a stern warning to Israel, indicating that it may withhold some of its substantial military aid unless the country improves the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza within the next 30 days. This ultimatum came in a letter sent to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, as revealed by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
The letter highlights that US law requires recipients of its military assistance not to arbitrarily obstruct the provision of humanitarian aid. The US government emphasized that Israel must significantly boost the level of aid entering Gaza, specifying that the number of aid trucks reaching the territory should increase to at least 350 per day. Additionally, Israel must implement further humanitarian pauses in its military operations and ensure increased security for humanitarian sites. These conditions were laid out as prerequisites for Israel to continue receiving US foreign military financing.
Failure to meet these requirements within the 30-day timeframe could result in the US reevaluating its military assistance to Israel, which currently totals billions of dollars annually. The move underscores the Biden administration's growing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has intensified since Israel launched its military operations in the region in October 2023.
Despite this pressure, President Joe Biden has remained a staunch supporter of Israel, even approving the deployment of a ballistic missile defense system to help protect the country from potential Iranian attacks. This action signals the complex balancing act the US is attempting between supporting its key ally, Israel, and addressing the humanitarian plight in Gaza.
The letter marks a significant shift in the US-Israel relationship, underscoring Washington's increasing emphasis on humanitarian concerns amid the ongoing conflict