US calls for Israel to end Gaza war, amid scrutiny over humanitarian aid policy

The United States has called on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasising the urgent need to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Speaking on Wednesday, Blinken said that Israel had achieved its strategic goals and should now shift focus to resolving the crisis.

Blinken pointed to a letter he and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin sent to Israeli counterparts a month ago, urging actions to address humanitarian concerns. According to Blinken, Israel has acted on 12 out of 15 recommended measures, though three key issues remain unresolved.

These include enabling displaced civilians to return home, restoring commercial trucking into Gaza, and ensuring sustained pauses to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. “They have to be fully implemented, and they have to be sustained,” Blinken stressed.

He reiterated the importance of ending the war as the most effective solution to the crisis. “Even with all of these steps, the situation is so difficult and so dramatic that to fully redress it, to fully answer the needs of people, the best way to do that is to end the war,” he said.

Blinken’s remarks come amid heightened criticism of his leadership, particularly regarding the Biden administration’s stance on Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid.

In September, ProPublica reported that Blinken delivered a softened message to Congress in May, downplaying internal findings that Israel had obstructed US-backed humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza.

These findings could have implications for US military aid to Israel under US law, which prohibits weapons shipments to countries blocking such assistance. Blinken’s insistence that US policy towards Israel requires no change has drawn sharp criticism.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has been particularly vocal, calling for Blinken’s resignation on the floor of the House of Representatives on 14 November.

Tlaib accused the administration of ignoring evidence of Israel’s actions and violating US and international laws.

US law is clear: No nation blocking US humanitarian aid can receive US weapons.

Palestinian children are forced to eat pet food and bug infested flour, but @SecBlinken says there’s no need to change our policy. The Biden administration is refusing to comply with US law. pic.twitter.com/Nfu1LTtl0V

— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) November 14, 2024

“US law is very clear: No nation blocking US humanitarian assistance can receive US weapons. The Biden administration cannot pick and choose when they comply with our own laws,” Tlaib stated.

Displaying a photograph of a starving child, she alleged that “the Israeli government is using starvation as a weapon of war,” accusing the administration of complicity in war crimes. She further described reports of children being forced to eat pet food and infested flour.

The situation in Gaza has become increasingly untenable since the conflict began on 7 October 2023. Over 43,700 people have been killed, and humanitarian organisations warn that the enclave is approaching total uninhabitability.

As the Biden administration prepares to leave office in January 2025 following the defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris in the recent US presidential election, it faces growing scrutiny over its handling of US-Israel relations and compliance with laws governing foreign aid.

Blinken has maintained that his focus remains on achieving an immediate and sustainable humanitarian response, while continuing to call for Israel to conclude its military operations and prioritise civilian welfare.