Blinken: Israeli Aid Offers to Gaza Insufficient

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged on Friday the Israeli government’s recent efforts to enhance aid delivery to Gaza, highlighting that while these steps are appreciated, they might not fully meet the Biden administration’s expectations for substantial improvements in the humanitarian situation in the region.

Blinken pointed out that increasing the number of operational border crossings could significantly improve the delivery of aid to Palestinians affected by the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Nonetheless, he emphasized the United States’ desire for concrete actions to better safeguard civilians and humanitarian workers.

He also demanded a transparent and independent investigation into the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen charity workers, including six international volunteers, who were killed in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes. This event has drawn global condemnation and placed Israel under scrutiny for its actions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas, which has been particularly criticized for the high civilian casualty rate in Gaza.

Blinken welcomed Israel’s initiatives as positive steps but stressed that the ultimate measure of success would be the outcomes achieved in the near future. Furthermore, he called for improved mechanisms for coordination and de-confliction to ensure the safe delivery and distribution of aid within Gaza.

These remarks were made in Leuven, just outside Brussels, during a meeting with U.S. and European trade officials. In response to the incident, Israel’s military has pledged a swift investigation. The Israeli army chief acknowledged misidentification as the cause of the airstrikes but did not provide further details.

Following a conversation with President Joe Biden, who emphasized the necessity of Israel taking additional measures to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced steps to ameliorate conditions. These include reopening a key border crossing into northern Gaza and allowing the use of Israel’s Ashdod port for processing aid shipments destined for Gaza. The specifics of the aid, such as types and quantities of goods to be allowed through, were not detailed.

President Biden also pressed Netanyahu for an “immediate cease-fire” to secure the release of an estimated 100 hostages still held in Gaza, stressing the urgency of reaching such an agreement without delay.

The conflict, which escalated after Hamas’ attack on October 7, killing around 1,200 people in Israel and taking approximately 250 hostages, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s extensive military response, displacing over 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and driving hundreds of thousands to the verge of starvation.