US Maintains Arms Transfers to Israel Despite Passing of Gaza Aid Deadline

November 13, 2024 TruthUSA

The U.S State Department stated that Israel has shown some progress in enhancing aid flow to Gaza, but relief groups argue that conditions in Gaza have actually deteriorated.

According to the U.S. State Department in a statement on Nov. 12, Israel has made limited but positive strides in increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Consequently, the United States will not restrict arms transfers to Israel. Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned in an Oct. 13 letter that U.S. support for Israel might be affected if humanitarian conditions in Gaza did not improve.

State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel informed reporters on Tuesday, “We have observed certain measures being taken in the last 30 days. Notably, the Erez crossing has been reopened, a new crossing at Kissufim has been established, and customs requirements hindering humanitarian organizations have been waived for the Jordanian armed forces corridor.”

Patel also mentioned additional aid routes opening within Gaza, repairs to various roads, the resumption of deliveries, and an expansion of the Mawasi humanitarian zone. Despite this, relief organizations claim that conditions in Gaza are now worse than ever.

Eight aid organizations, including Care, Save the Children, Oxfam, and others, stated in a report that “Israel not only failed to meet the U.S. criteria for humanitarian support but also took actions that aggravated the situation on the ground, particularly in northern Gaza. The situation is even more critical now than a month ago.”

Letter from Blinken, Austin

In their Oct. 13 letter, Austin and Blinken set a 30-day deadline for Israel to improve conditions. Failure to do so, they warned, could impact U.S. policy under NSM-20 and relevant U.S. law.

NSM-20 refers to a presidential policy memorandum established by President Biden in February. It emphasizes that countries receiving U.S. arms transfers must commit to supporting U.S. humanitarian efforts.

The letter called for Israel to allow a minimum of 350 truckloads of supplies to enter Gaza daily, open a fifth border crossing, relocate refugees in coastal tent camps, and grant access to aid groups in northern Gaza.

Although Israel opened a fifth border crossing near Kissufim and expanded the coastal humanitarian zone, increased security for aid vehicles, and collaborated with the international community, it failed to meet the mandated truckloads. Israeli figures showed an average of 57 trucks daily in October and 81 per day in the first week of November, while the U.N. reported an average of 37 per day since October.

An Israeli official claimed that on a daily basis, 50 trucks enter northern Gaza and an additional 150 enter the rest of Gaza.

A military plane drops humanitarian aid near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 19, 2024. (Eyad Baba/Getty Images) — A military plane drops humanitarian aid near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 19, 2024. Eyad Baba/Getty Images

In October, around 34,000 tons of food entered Gaza, less than half of the previous month. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, criticized the Israeli authorities for repeatedly blocking humanitarian supplies.

Brig. Gen. Elad Goren, head of the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian and civil efforts in Gaza, refuted the accusations, stating that the UN hindered distribution efforts by standing back. He explained that COGAT had proposed solutions, such as alternative roads and providing escorts for aid trucks.

UNRWA has been prominently involved in distributing aid in Gaza. Following a law passed by Israel’s Knesset, UNRWA is banned from operating in Israel and its territories, with Israeli agencies forbidden to cooperate with it.

In response to the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, Israeli military operations in Gaza have been ongoing. The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 43,000 deaths, with the majority being women and children. However, exact casualty figures remain unverifiable.

Ryan Morgan, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.

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