WASHINGTON — Following a deadline for Israel to increase aid to Gaza or face cuts to U.S. military assistance, the Biden administration is currently evaluating whether Israel has met the necessary requirements.
“We are in ongoing discussions with our Israeli partners regarding the actions they have taken in response to U.S. intervention, as well as additional steps that we believe still need to be implemented,” stated State Department spokesman Vedant Patel during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The deadline was set in an Oct. 13 warning letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The letter accused Israel of significantly reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza Palestinians amidst reports of worsening humanitarian conditions in the region, where conflict has been ongoing since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
Humanitarian organizations argue that Israel has not fulfilled the requirements outlined by the Biden administration, which included increasing the daily number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza to 350 and removing obstacles hindering aid distribution.
“Israel not only failed to meet the U.S. criteria for supporting the humanitarian response, but also took actions that exacerbated the situation on the ground, particularly in Northern Gaza,” stated a joint statement from eight groups, including Refugees International and Oxfam, on Tuesday.
However, Blinken announced on Wednesday that Israel has made progress in addressing 12 out of the 15 criteria set by him and Austin.
“The purpose was to urge Israel to take urgent measures to alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions faced by children, women, and men in Gaza,” Blinken said during a press briefing in Brussels. “Israel has taken action on 12 of the 15 steps that we recommended, either by implementing them or being in the process of implementation.”
The remaining three steps, according to Blinken, involve allowing displaced individuals to return after operations, permitting the entry of commercial goods alongside humanitarian aid, and pausing combat operations to facilitate relief delivery.
Blinken indicated that he will consult with President Biden and intensify efforts in the coming days, but did not specify if there would be repercussions as outlined in the letter.
“I believe that the actions taken in response to our letter in recent weeks were prompted by the letter itself,” he remarked. “However, it is crucial, as outlined in the letter, that these steps are not only taken but fully implemented and sustained to have a meaningful impact.”
The Israeli military has provided updates on the aid deliveries it is facilitating, including the opening of an additional border crossing.
The army affirmed that it “will continue to operate in compliance with international law to facilitate and enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”
The October 13 letter referenced a memorandum issued by Biden in February that tied military assistance to the handling of humanitarian relief by recipient countries. The potential consequences outlined in the letter range from a second warning to halting weapon deliveries.
The humanitarian organizations stated that Israel falls short of the letter’s requirement to allow a minimum of 350 aid trucks per day. Their analysis indicated that Gaza is currently in a worse state than before, with an average of 42 trucks entering daily.
“On some days, as few as six trucks have crossed all available border points, with only two days seeing over 100 trucks entering,” the analysis revealed. “While Israel reported 229 trucks crossing in one day in early November, these reports could not be verified on the ground and remain well below the U.S. benchmark of 350 trucks per day.”
Pro-Israel advocates are concerned that Biden may use the lame-duck period before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20 to penalize Israel. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, highlighted Biden’s past sanctions against settler groups and recalled Obama’s actions in the 2016 lame-duck period, where a resolution condemning Israel’s settlement policies was allowed through the U.N. Security Council.
“I am concerned that there will be further sanctions against Israel, and another U.N. Security Council resolution, similar to what President Obama did in 2016, which could institutionalize this economic and financial pressure on Israelis through a U.N. resolution, making it harder for President Trump to reverse,” Dubowitz expressed to CNN.
J Street, a liberal Jewish Middle East policy advocacy group, called on Biden to enforce the sanctions outlined in the Austin-Blinken letter.
“The time for action and upholding American law is long overdue,” stated J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami in a press release. “The law is clear: U.S. arms should not be provided to countries that obstruct humanitarian assistance. The White House should not exempt any country, even close allies, from accountability. This cannot be delayed any further.”
Support the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.