Israel must get more aid into Gaza, US says ahead of deadline

Results so far 'not good enough,' State Department spokesman says

An UNRWA aid distribution centre in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 31, 2024. EPA

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Israel has taken some measures to increase aid access to Gaza but has so far failed to significantly turn around the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Monday, as a deadline set by the US to improve the situation approaches.

The Biden administration told Israel in an October 13 letter that it had 30 days to take specific steps to address the dire humanitarian crisis in the strip, which Israel has largely flattened in a war it says is aimed at rooting out Hamas militants.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israel that weapons shipments could be affected unless it addresses the “deteriorating humanitarian situation”.

"As of today, the situation has not significantly turned around. We have seen an increase in some measurements," Mr Miller said. "We've seen an increase in the number of crossings that are open. But just if you look at the stipulated recommendations in the letter, those have not been met."

He said the results so far were "not good enough" but stressed that the 30-day period had not elapsed.

Pentagon press secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant last week to stress that more aid needs to enter Gaza.

“We believe more needs to be done in terms of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to the Palestinian people,” Maj Gen Ryder told reporters.

Mr Miller would not say what consequences Israel might face if it failed to implement the recommendations. "What I can tell you that we will do is we will follow the law," he said.

Aid workers and UN officials say humanitarian conditions continue to be dire in Gaza. Washington, Israel's main supplier of weapons, has frequently pressed its ally to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza since the war with Hamas began with the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel.

Compounding the humanitarian crisis, Israel on Monday said it was cancelling its agreement with the UN relief agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), citing its accusations that some agency staff had Hamas links.

The move puts the aid operation in ravaged Gaza, as well as educational and medical programmes across Palestine, at risk of collapse.