US urges Israel to act on Gaza humanitarian crisis, warns of potential aid restrictions

The US informed its ally Israel in a letter on October 13 that it must take steps within 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on American military aid.

On October 16, Thomas-Greenfield said that Washington was closely monitoring to ensure Israel’s actions on the ground confirm it does not have a “policy of starvation” in the north.

Israel launched a major military offensive in northern Gaza earlier this month, which resulted in more than 700 deaths in just over three weeks, with nearly 300 of those casualties occurring in the last nine days alone. While Israel justifies its renewed focus on the north as targeting Hamas fighters, the intense fighting has taken a significant toll on the estimated 100,000 civilians still there. Many families, exhausted by repeated orders to relocate, have chosen to stay.

The Israeli military has carried out strikes on shelters for displaced individuals across Gaza, asserting that it is conducting precise operations aimed at Palestinian militants while seeking to avoid civilian harm. However, the strikes have frequently resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children.

On Monday, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that around 100,000 people were stranded in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza without access to medical care or food supplies.