The US has told Israel it needs to take “urgent and sustained actions” to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza or military aid from Washington could be at risk, in a rare public ultimatum to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
In a joint letter sent to top Israeli officials on Sunday, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and secretary of state Antony Blinken outlined a series of measures the Biden administration expects Israel to take to reverse the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza over the next 30 days. Austin and Blinken warned that if Israel does not comply, Washington could determine that its ally is flouting assurances not to impede aid that is tied to more military financing. US officials confirmed that the letter had been sent.
Washington’s demands fell into three categories: an increase in all forms of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza ahead of winter; ensuring that commercial and Jordanian Armed Forces corridors are operating at full capacity continuously; and an end to the isolation of northern Gaza. “We are now writing to underscore the US government’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory,” the secretaries wrote to Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer.
Blinken and Austin added that “failure” to take steps implementing their demands could have “implications” for US policy and law governing military aid.
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