US Gives Israel 'Fail' Grade on Improving Aid to Gaza So Far

Washington: Biden ministration is stepping up criticism of Israel for t doing eugh to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza as a 30-day deline looms for Israeli officials to meet certain requirements or risk potential restrictions on military assistance.

ministration also is condemning recent violence against Palestinians in West Bank by extremist Jewish settlers and says those responsible must be held to account.

State Department spokesman Matw Miller on Monday gave Israel a “fail” gre in terms of meeting conditions for an improvement in aid deliveries to Gaza laid out in a letter last month to senior Israeli officials by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

He said re were still roughly nine days until deline expires, but that limited progress thus far has been insufficient.

“As of today, situation has t significantly turned around,” Miller told reporters. “We have seen an increase in some measurements. But if you look at stipulated recommendations in letter, those have t been met.” A day before election, Biden ministration called out its close ally, with support for Israel a key issue for many voters and humanitarian crisis for Palestinians also a factor for many in race. Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have been competing for Muslim and Arab American voters and Jewish voters in battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Among or conditions, Austin and Blinken's letter from mid-October said that Israel must allow in a minimum of 350 trucks a day carrying desperately needed food and or supplies for Palestinians besieged by more than a year of war between Israel and Hamas. By end of October, an aver of just 71 trucks a day were entering Gaza, according to latest UN figures.

“ results are t good eugh today,” Miller said. “y certainly do t have a pass. … y have failed to implement all things that that we recommended. w, that said, we are t at end of 30-day period.” He would t say when asked what US would do when deline comes up next week, just that “we will follow law.” Similarly, Austin has been reinforcing “how important it is to ensure that humanitarian assistance can flow and flow faster into Gaza” in calls with his Israeli counterpart, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters Monday.

Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, kwn as COGAT, said it h evacuated 72 patients from hospitals in rrn Gaza to or medical facilities Monday and h brought medical supplies as well as fuel, food, water and units of blood.

he of UNICEF, UN ncy for children, said over weekend that “ entire Palestinian population in rth Gaza, especially children, is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine, and ongoing bombardments.” Miller also said US is looking into a decision by Israeli government to end an agreement facilitating work of UN ncy for Palestinian refugees, kwn as UNRWA, which is main aid provider in Gaza.

It followed pass of Israeli laws last week to sever ties with UNRWA, a move that Blinken and Austin opposed in ir letter.

Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday that it has tified UN of cancellation of an agreement dating back to 1967 that facilitates UNRWA's work. It said UNRWA “is part of problem in Gaza Strip and t part of solution.” Israel alleges that UNRWA has been infiltrated by Hamas, which ncy denies and says it takes measures to ensure its neutrality.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated that UNRWA is essential and re is alternative to its work in Palestinian territories, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

At same time, Miller said US is “deeply concerned” by a recent escalation in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in West Bank, including several cars being torched overnight just a few kilometres away from Palestinian Authority's hequarters and attacks on Palestinians harvesting olives, ir livestock and or property.

“se violent actions cause intense human suffering for Palestinians and y threaten Israel's security,” Miller said. “It is critical that government of Israel deter extremist settler violence and take measures to protect all communities from harm in accordance with its international obligations.” He ted that US has since beginning of year imposed sanctions against Israeli groups and people implicated in violence against Palestinian civilians and warned of more to come.