Amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has issued a strong call for Israel to implement ‘real and extended pauses’ in the fighting. This plea comes as a 30-day deadline set by the US to improve the humanitarian situation in the region has reached its end.
While acknowledging that Israel has taken steps to address the crisis, Blinken emphasized the need for more substantial action. Specifically, he advocated for extended pauses in combat across large areas of Gaza, allowing humanitarian aid to reach those in dire need. This call was made during a visit to Brussels, where Blinken told reporters, “We need to see real and extended pauses in large areas of Gaza, pauses in any fighting, any combat, so that the assistance can effectively get to people who need it.”
The severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated since Israel launched a major military offensive in response to Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023. Last month, Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote to Israeli officials, setting a deadline of November 13 for Israel to comply with US laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid. Failure to meet this deadline could have resulted in reduced US military assistance to Israel.
Blinken explained on Wednesday that the deadline was intended to create a sense of urgency, urging Israel to take necessary steps to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation. Although Israel has made progress on 12 out of 15 steps proposed by the US, three critical issues remain unresolved. In addition to extended pauses in fighting, these issues include allowing commercial trucks to enter Gaza and rescinding evacuation orders so that displaced residents can return to areas cleared by Israeli operations.
“Short of ending the war, which we believe now is the time to move to that, we have to see these humanitarian steps fully implemented,” Blinken stated.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it will not impose limitations on arms transfers to Israel, despite previous threats. This decision was made based on the progress Israel has made in increasing the flow of aid to Gaza, considered ‘good but limited’ by the US. State department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, clarified that while some progress has been made, it is not yet sufficient. “We are not giving Israel a pass,” Patel emphasized. “We want to see the totality of the humanitarian situation improve, and we think some of these steps will allow the conditions for that to continue to progress,” he added.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a devastating loss of life. According to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures, Hamas’s attack on October 7 led to 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has tragically resulted in the deaths of at least 43,665 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable.
