The United States sends a letter to Israel- Allowing humanitarian aid to Gaza, otherwise it may cut off military aid

The U.S. government has issued a warning to Israel, stating that it must significantly increase the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza within the next 30 days, or risk impacts on American military assistance to Israel. According to reports from CBS, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin jointly signed a letter on October 13, expressing deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. They urged the Israeli government to take urgent and ongoing actions to reverse this trend, warning that failure to do so could affect U.S. policy.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller noted that Blinken had previously sent a similar letter to Israeli officials in April, which temporarily resulted in an uptick in humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, that increase was short-lived, with aid levels falling by more than 50% from their peak. Blinken believes it’s crucial to clearly communicate the need for Israel to raise aid levels from their currently very low status.

In the letter, Blinken and Austin emphasized that in order for Israel to continue receiving foreign military assistance, it must deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, including a daily minimum of 350 trucks entering the area. They also called for enhanced security at humanitarian sites, giving Israel a 30-day timeframe to respond to these demands.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby clarified that the letter was not a threat, but rather a reaffirmation of the urgency and seriousness felt by the U.S. regarding the significant increase in humanitarian aid.

An Israeli official confirmed receipt of the letter but did not discuss its content, only stating that the U.S. raised humanitarian concerns and exerted pressure on Israel to expedite aid to Gaza.