New York [US], October 16: Since the Hamas- Israel conflict broke out in October 2023, the US has provided nearly $18 billion in weapons, ammunition and other assistance to Israel. In a joint letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Secretary of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on October 14, the US warned that humanitarian aid to Gaza had dropped sharply and gave Israel 30 days to take concrete measures to improve the situation, according to Axios.
The two US secretaries warned that if the measures were not implemented, there would be implications for US policy under NSM-20 and related legislation. NSM-20 is a memorandum issued by President Joe Biden in February 2023, which states that countries receiving US weapons must provide credible written assurances that they will respect international law.
Countries receiving US military aid and engaged in military conflicts must allow the delivery of US-supported humanitarian aid to the conflict zone, or face a suspension of military aid.
Israeli media said that the provisions of NSM-20 do not apply to defensive weapons such as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) that the US has just brought to Israel.
The two US ministers also made many other requests, such as transferring 350 trucks carrying aid into the Gaza Strip every day from four border crossings, opening a fifth border crossing, implementing a humanitarian ceasefire to distribute aid for at least the next four months, allowing Palestinians along the Mawasi coast to leave the coastal area before winter, ending the isolation of the northern Gaza Strip, declaring that there is no need to evacuate northerners to the southern territory, and several other requests.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the letter made clear US concerns about the level of humanitarian aid to Gaza. He said a similar letter had been sent in April. Aid to Gaza improved for a while but then "dropped by more than 50%" and September was the lowest level of any month in a year.
According to Axios, Israel closed the border crossings into the Gaza Strip in October, cutting off the supply of food and essential goods to 400,000 Palestinians before some trucks were allowed to enter again on October 14.
An Israeli official said the country had received the letter and was assessing the situation. "Israel takes this matter seriously and intends to address the concerns raised in the letter with our American partners," the official said.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper