Increase in Humanitarian Aid to Gaza in Exchange for Receiving More Weapons
Israel entered into a deal with the United States to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in exchange for receiving more weapons.
The Israeli news website “Walla” reported on October 16 citing two high-ranking Israeli officials: “Israel clearly told the United States yesterday that it will quickly take action to respond to this country’s requests to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.”
Since Benjamin Netanyahu needs to receive more American weapons to continue the war and confront attacks by resistance groups, he is seeking a way to give a positive response to the American demand to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The Walla news site added in its reports: “The message that Washington sent to Tel Aviv about cutting military aid due to the humanitarian situation in Gaza contained a severe ultimatum, and its purpose was not to pave the way for stopping the delivery of American weapons to Israel, but rather to prevent the delivery of weapons unless Israel changes its behavior toward Gaza’s humanitarian situation.”
Despite Tel Aviv’s dissatisfaction with the American warning and ultimatum, the Biden administration’s message to Israel has provided an opportunity to improve the deteriorating situation in Gaza and return to implementing the policy approved in the security cabinet to allow the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza in exchange for receiving weapons.
In fact, Israel is using the issue of humanitarian aid entering Gaza as leverage to legitimize the continuation of war and genocide. Last week, negotiations also took place between high-ranking Israeli and American political officials to ensure that this crisis would not spiral out of control and that Israel would reduce necessary measures to reverse the current situation and reduce obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid.
Some senior Israeli officials regarding the American warning said: “The discussions that took place in recent days regarding the issue of attacking Iran in the cabinet and other matters by Netanyahu made it clear to many ministers the depth of Israel’s dependence on the United States, especially in the field of weapons and missile defense. This may reduce the intensity of opposition in the cabinet to agreeing with the measures requested by the United States.”
Another Israeli official who wished to remain anonymous told the Israeli news agency: “This is the harshest message that the United States has sent to Israel in recent decades. On this basis, if Israel does not want to enter into a crisis with the United States, it must very quickly take important measures to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
