Israeli leaders assured Secretary of State Antony Blinken that it is not their policy to isolate northern Gaza, despite the United Nations reporting that their requests to deliver humanitarian aid to the area have been denied. The U.N. has been trying to send essential supplies such as blood, medications, food, and fuel to hospitals and water facilities in Gaza, but Israel has been blocking these efforts.
In a letter earlier this month, Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin gave Israel 30 days to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza or face restrictions on U.S. military assistance. During his discussions with Israeli officials, Blinken emphasized the importance of increasing aid to Gaza and noted that while some progress had been made, more action was needed.
Israel informed Blinken that they were taking steps in response to the letter from the Biden administration and assured that they were committed to undertaking the necessary actions. However, the U.S. is looking for concrete and sustained action within the specified timeframe. Despite this, Israeli officials said they were doing everything possible to comply with the U.S. demands.
The readout from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not mention humanitarian assistance, indicating that the focus of the discussions was on Israel’s commitment to addressing the U.S. demands. The U.S. expects to see tangible progress in delivering aid to Gaza within the next 30 days.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com