Israel Fails to Meet US Demands for Increased Gaza Aid, Humanitarian Crisis Worsens

International aid organizations have condemned Israel’s failure to meet US demands for increased humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, where conditions are said to be worse than at any point in the 13-month-old war, The Associated Press reports.

The Biden administration last month issued a 30-day ultimatum to Israel, calling for a “surge” of food and emergency aid into the besieged territory, warning that failure to comply could trigger US laws requiring the scaling back of military support. While Israel has announced a series of steps to improve the situation, US officials have indicated that these measures are insufficient.

A report authored by eight international aid organizations, published Tuesday, evaluated 19 measures of compliance with the US demands, finding that Israel failed to meet 15 of them and only partially complied with four. The report highlights that despite some Israeli steps to increase aid flow, levels remain significantly below US benchmarks.

Among the concerns highlighted in the report:

• The number of trucks carrying aid into Gaza remains far below the US target of 350 per day.

• Access to aid workers in northern Gaza remains restricted.

• Israel has continued to press ahead with legislation that would hinder the operations of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA.

The report has sparked renewed calls for international action to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The US State Department, while acknowledging some progress from Israel, has also emphasized the need for further action.

The war in Gaza, which began last year with a Hamas attack on southern Israel, has resulted in the deaths of over 43,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, and displaced hundreds of thousands. Aid agencies warn that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening, with limited access to food, water, and basic hygiene facilities.

The Biden administration, while urging Israel to increase humanitarian aid, has also provided billions of dollars in military aid during the war. However, the future of US support for Israel remains uncertain, especially following the re-election of Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Israel.