Israel Hurriedly Sends 50 Aid Trucks Into Gaza After Scathing US Letter

Israel is trying to show its powerful backer Washington that it is taking urgent action over the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

On Tuesday the Biden administration submitted a letter to the Israel government warning that the US could withdraw key aspects of US military aid to Israel if it doesn’t reign in the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza. As we noted, like with prior such ‘warnings’ (this isn’t the first), the message seems more timed for the November election

Israel on Wednesday has announced that fifty trucks loaded with supplies have entered northern Gaza—much of which was supplied by Jordan.

A statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry agency overseeing the supplies said that “50 trucks carrying humanitarian aid — including food, water, medical supplies and shelter equipment provided by Jordan — were transferred today to northern Gaza through the Allenby Bridge Crossing and the Erez West Crossing as part of our commitment to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

Israel said that “will continue to facilitate and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” The Israeli military has stood accused of blocking aid, including trucks with American-supplied support.

“Blinken and Austin raise alarm in the letter that the amount of aid entering Gaza has dropped by 50 percent compared to assurances provided in March and April,” The Hill among others has noted.

The letter, issued by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is being widely considered the ‘strongest’ written warning by the US thus far.

“We are now writing to underscore the US government’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory,” it said.

“We are particularly concerned that recent actions by the Israeli government – including halting commercial imports, denying or impeding nearly 90% of humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza in September, continuing burdensome and excessive dual-use restrictions, and instituting new vetting and onerous liability and customs requirements for humanitarian staff and shipments – together with increased lawlessness and looting – are contributing to an accelerated deterioration in the conditions in Gaza,” the letter laid out.

The failure to secure a ceasefire in #Gaza, has caused violence to now spread in #Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. The violence has to stop.

Demand the UK government helps to secure a permanent #CeasefireNOW at https://t.co/AB2WJngyuj pic.twitter.com/wHj0D49F5Q

— Oxfam (@oxfamgb) October 16, 2024

It emphasized that Israel “must, starting now and within 30 days” act on a series of measures to rapidly boost aid or else this will “have implications for US policy”. This is being taken as a threat that the US could begin restricting or else throttling defense aid deliveries to Tel Aviv.

Israel has since affirmed that it has received the letter and said that the country “takes this matter seriously” and intends to “address the concerns raised” with its American ally.