The U.S. has stated that Israel has not violated American laws regarding the blocking of aid supplies to Gaza, following the expiration of a 30-day deadline issued by the U.S. for Israel to improve humanitarian access. The deadline was set with the threat of cutting some military assistance if progress was not made.
On Tuesday, U.S. officials acknowledged that Israel had taken several steps to address American demands, including the opening of a new land crossing and the resumption of aid deliveries to northern Gaza. However, they emphasized that further progress is still needed, and did not specify if aid had reached the besieged Jabalia refugee camp.
Despite the U.S. position, the United Nations has raised concerns, reporting that the volume of aid entering Gaza is currently at its lowest level in a year.
A recent UN-backed report has raised alarm about the imminent risk of famine in northern Gaza, where little to no aid has entered over the past month.
Joyce Msuya, the United Nations Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that international crimes are being committed in Gaza. During a briefing to UN Security Council members on Tuesday, Msuya highlighted that Israeli authorities were preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching northern Gaza, where intense fighting is ongoing.
Msuya also noted that 75,000 people remain stranded in northern Gaza, facing rapidly depleting supplies.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave Israel a 30-day deadline to ensure a daily flow of aid trucks into Gaza. That deadline passed on Tuesday.
In response, a letter sent to the Israeli government called for an end to the isolation of northern Gaza, where aid organizations warn that civilians are being deprived of food and basic necessities amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive.
Eight humanitarian aid agencies stated that conditions in the region have worsened since the letter was sent, with access to essential supplies becoming increasingly limited.
On Tuesday, the U.S. response indicated that Washington would continue supplying weapons to Israel, despite increasing concerns from humanitarian groups about the civilian toll of Israel's ongoing assault on northern Gaza. These warnings highlight the growing number of civilians killed and displaced by the military operation.
The Israeli military, however, maintains that its actions are focused on countering a resurgence of Hamas in the region. Israel has also claimed it has significantly increased the flow of aid into Gaza, accusing humanitarian agencies of not effectively distributing the supplies.
In Beit Hanoun, a town that had been under siege for more than a month, Joyce Msuya reported that food and water reached shelters on Monday. However, on Tuesday, Israeli soldiers forcibly displaced people from those shelters, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
Ilze Kehris, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, stated that the pattern and frequency of Israel's attacks suggest a systematic targeting of civilians in Gaza.
Much of the death and destruction, she noted, has been caused by U.S.-supplied weapons, which were provided to Israel to support its efforts against Hamas.
Israel launched its military campaign to dismantle Hamas following the group's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 251 others.
Since then, over 43,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
(Source: BBC)
BD-Pratidin English/Mazdud
