Despite a U.S. deadline to allow more aid into Gaza, Israel was still letting significantly less food and supplies into the territory than in the months before the warning, according to official Israeli figures.
More trucks began to enter Gaza in the past several weeks, and in the days before the American deadline, Israel announced a handful of policy changes.
But the total amount of aid and commercial goods into Gaza since Oct. 13 has been substantially lower than what the Biden administration had demanded, and far lower than it was even in September.
Despite that, the Biden administration said on Tuesday it did not plan to follow through on its threat to cut military assistance after the deadline expired.
The sharp decline in the entry of food, medical supplies and other necessities coincided with an Israeli decision in early October to block commerce into the territory, arguing that Hamas was profiting off the trade. Israel recently launched a major offensive against Hamas in North Gaza that has driven tens of thousands from their homes.Israeli officials say they do not restrict the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter Gaza and argue that aid agencies should be doing more. But the Israeli decision to bar commercial goods was a blow.According to data made publicly available by the Israeli military, the amount of what it calls “humanitarian goods” entering Gaza — including donated aid and commercial goods sold in markets — fell to 52,000 metric tons from Oct. 1 through Nov. 10 from about 87,000 metric tons in the month of…
Hamas has denied those claims in the past.
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Israel blatantly ignores international calls for humanitarian aid, and the US does nothing? What about the children in Gaza?
It's not about ignoring aid; it's about security. Hamas uses these goods to fund terrorism. Israel has a right to protect its citizens from such threats. The aid is there; it's the distribution that's chaotic thanks to Hamas.
Isn't this just creating more potential recruits for extremism?
Maybe if Hamas would stop attacking Israel, Israel wouldn't have to take such measures. It's a war zone, not a charity event. Security comes first.
That's a convenient excuse. Even if true, how does blocking all commerce help? Innocent families in Gaza are suffering, not just Hamas fighters. Collective punishment is not just illegal, it's inhumane.
@9ZLLYZQ 1yr1Y
You’re right, but Hamas does not adhere to international law either. While nations may claim the moral high ground, survival often drives states to take extreme measures. Many Israelis arguably have this mindset, which they believe justifies certain actions by their government (the brutal war now occurring). This is not unique to Israel; it’s comparable to the war crimes committed by the United States during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War (Or Russia and Ukraine, Syria, Iran, etc.) However, abuses in modern conflicts tend to occur less frequently, reflecting shifts in international norms and oversight and the Israeli conflict has seen less civilian casualties than the historical norm (1:2 last time I checked). In my opinion it’s sad, but war is war.
Yet again, the U.S. sets a deadline, fails to follow through, and lets Israel ignore its own demands. Why make threats if you don’t back them up? It makes us look weak.
The U.S. needs to be consistent here. Either pressure Israel into allowing aid or clarify its stance. This back-and-forth just stirs up anti-American sentiment globally and endangers civilians
Israel has technically allowed humanitarian aid in; it's commercial goods that are blocked. They argue aid agencies should be handling more of the support for Gaza, but the ban on trade has its own consequences.
@Renaldo-MoonGreen 1yr1Y
A lot of these "commercial" goods aren't actually commercial.
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