The United States announced Tuesday it will continue military assistance to Israel, citing Israel’s partial compliance with requests to increase humanitarian aid flows into Gaza. The decision follows weeks of scrutiny over Israel’s handling of aid delivery amid severe shortages in Gaza, where a 13-month conflict with Hamas has resulted in catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel indicated that Israel’s actions do not yet breach U.S. law, dismissing immediate concerns about restricting arms transfers. “We are not giving Israel a pass,” Patel said, affirming that the U.S. aims to improve Gaza’s humanitarian situation and prevent violations of international standards.
Israel, in response to an October 13 deadline, has taken limited measures to permit aid delivery. According to U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Israel resumed aid flow to Gaza’s northern regions, though the Security Council was urged to monitor these actions for sustained impact.
Yet, despite these steps, U.N. officials report that the scale of aid remains critically low. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris raised alarms about the “minimal entry” of aid and underscored international obligations to suspend military support to conflict parties that may breach humanitarian law.
Eight international aid organizations issued a report showing Israel failed to meet 19 of the U.S.-outlined measures for humanitarian aid facilitation. “Conditions are now worse than a month ago,” the report stated, citing severe impediments to aid deliveries and deteriorating conditions in Gaza’s north.
U.N.-backed food security experts issued an urgent warning of potential famine in northern Gaza, stating that immediate intervention is essential to prevent a catastrophic loss of life. Acting humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya emphasized the dire state of Gaza’s health and living conditions, noting that 75,000 individuals remain trapped with dwindling resources.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon, however, rebuked the famine warning as “propaganda.” He contended that Israel has facilitated 713 aid trucks into northern Gaza during October and reopened the Kissufim crossing, closed for 19 years, to increase aid channels.
In an increasingly fraught Security Council session, members began drafting a resolution addressing civilian protection, a ceasefire, and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Palestinian representatives continued to advocate for foreign journalists’ entry to independently assess Gaza’s conditions, while Israeli representatives upheld claims of efficient aid distribution.
In an Oval Office meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, President Joe Biden reiterated his “ironclad” support for Israel, underscoring U.S. commitment to its ally amid escalating regional tensions. The ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Beirut signal further instability, with civilian tolls rising across both conflict zones.
As humanitarian advocates and international leaders urge more decisive action, the U.S. response balances support for Israel with increasing calls to address Gaza’s urgent needs — a stance likely to shape the coming months as the conflict and humanitarian crisis evolve.
