Austin and Blinken demanded an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza

The spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House, John Kirby, confirmed at a press briefing tonight (Wednesday, Israel time) the existence and content of the letter demanding that Israel increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in exchange for the continued supply of American military aid and said “I can confirm that Minister Austin and Minister Lincoln They jointly signed the speaking letter, and it was sent to their Israeli colleagues,” said Kirby.

“I would note that the Biden-Harris administration requested similar tangible steps regarding humanitarian aid in April in a similar letter, which received a constructive response from the Israeli government.” The spokesman for the American MLA added in the briefing that the letter was written following “a recent drop in humanitarian aid going to the residents of Gaza” and the intention of sending the letter was not to threaten, “we must act according to the laws of the country in this case”, the spokesman elaborated.

His words are based on the American legal requirements for the transfer of arms according to the Lahey Act and President Joe Biden’s National Security Memoranda 18 and 20, which describe the conditions under which Washington may transfer arms to a foreign power. The sending of the letter, which was first reported in the American media outlet Axios, is addressed to Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and was sent by the American Foreign Minister and Defense Minister, Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, respectively.

The October 13 letter refers to “important improvements” in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza after the Biden administration sent the letter in April, but notes that since then, humanitarian aid shipments have dropped by 50%. He also noted that a new channel between the two governments is needed to discuss “incidents of harm to civilians” because “our involvement so far has not produced the required results.”

The letter gives the Israelis a 30-day deadline to implement 15 policy changes, including 10 measures “designed to increase all forms of humanitarian aid throughout Gaza” or risk losing access to American military equipment. “This is not the first time such a letter has been sent to Israel, but we hope we will not have to do it again.”

In the meantime, humanitarian aid arrived in northern Gaza for the first time in two weeks this morning (Wednesday), according to an update from the Palestinian Authority (Coordinating Government Operations in the Territories), the Israeli body that oversees the Palestinian territories and coordinates with aid organizations. In a social media post published today, the Israel Defense Forces said that 145 humanitarian aid trucks, containing food, hygiene products, baby food compounds and shelter equipment, entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings. Nine fuel tankers and six cooking gas tankers intended for the operation of essential infrastructures were transferred to Gaza, according to the announcement.