Israel has been urged to take immediate steps within the next month to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to prevent potential legal repercussions involving US military aid, according to recent reports and sources. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed their concerns in a letter dated October 13 to their Israeli counterparts, which was subsequently shared by a reporter from an American news website on X. The contents of the letter were initially reported by a journalist from an Israeli news channel on X, and two sources familiar with the matter confirmed its authenticity to Reuters.
The State Department and Pentagon have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the letter, and representatives from Israel's government were also unavailable for immediate comment. Washington has consistently urged Israel to enhance humanitarian conditions in Gaza since the conflict with Hamas began over a year ago, although the Biden administration has not yet imposed any restrictions on the military aid provided to Israel.
The reports surface as Israeli forces intensify their operations in northern Gaza, raising ongoing concerns about the accessibility of humanitarian aid and the availability of essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine for civilians. Earlier this month, Reuters reported a significant decline in food supplies due to a new customs regulation introduced by Israeli authorities on certain humanitarian aid, alongside a reduction in deliveries organized by businesses.
Last week, the United States addressed the UN Security Council, emphasizing the urgent need for Israel to tackle the "catastrophic conditions" faced by Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip and to cease exacerbating their suffering by restricting aid deliveries. The secretaries' letter specified actions that Israel must undertake within 30 days, including allowing a minimum of 350 trucks to enter Gaza daily, implementing temporary ceasefires to facilitate aid distribution, and revoking evacuation orders for Palestinian civilians when not operationally necessary.
The letter warned that failure to uphold these measures persistently could impact US policy and relevant US law, referencing Section 620i of the Foreign Assistance Act, which forbids military aid to countries hindering the delivery of US humanitarian assistance. Additionally, it mentioned a National Security Memorandum issued by President Joe Biden in February, which mandates the State Department to report to Congress on whether Israel's assurances that its use of US weapons complies with US and international law are credible. Earlier this year, US officials suggested that Israel might have breached international humanitarian law using US-supplied weapons during its military operation in Gaza.
