US Issues Warning to Israel Over Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
The United States has issued a stern warning to Israel regarding the urgent need to enhance the flow of humanitarian supplies into the war-torn Gaza Strip. American officials emphasized that failure to comply within the next 30 days could jeopardize military aid to Israel. This warning was conveyed through a letter signed by both the U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State, which was sent to Israelās Defense Minister and its Minister of Strategic Affairs on Sunday. A State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, confirmed the details of this correspondence on Tuesday.
Mr. Miller noted that the volume of aid entering Gaza during September reached its lowest levels since the onset of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which subsequently triggered the ongoing Israeli invasion. He remarked, āWhat we have witnessed over the past few months is a significant decline in the level of humanitarian assistance provided to Gaza. In fact, it has plummeted by over 50 percent compared to its peak levels.ā
This warning coincides with reports that the Israeli government has communicated to the Biden administration its decision not to target Iranās nuclear enrichment facilities and oil production sites in response to Tehran’s recent missile strikes on Israel. Such a concession is believed to lower the immediate risk of an all-out conflict between the two nations.
Officials, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters, revealed that Israel plans to concentrate its military efforts on specific military targets within Iran. The Biden administration is concerned that if Israel were to strike oil or uranium enrichment sites, it could provoke a dramatic escalation of hostilities throughout the Middle East, especially given that Israel is already engaged in conflict with Iranās regional proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.