The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the escalating crisis in Gaza, where the ongoing conflict with Israel is severely hindering aid delivery. The situation has reached a critical level, with almost all UN aid operations in Gaza suspended following Israel’s wide-ranging evacuation orders.
The World Food Programme also halted employee travel after one of its vehicles was attacked near an Israeli checkpoint. Advocates argue that the United States, as a key ally of Israel and the largest donor to the UN, has been conspicuously silent despite the dire humanitarian situation, particularly as malnutrition and the spread of preventable diseases like polio surge in Gaza.
Advocates emphasize that the U.S. has a moral obligation to speak out, especially given the worsening conditions for Gaza’s children, who are facing acute malnutrition and the resurgence of polio after 25 years. The situation is exacerbated by the inability to deliver basic necessities, which hinders the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns.
Despite the critical need, the Biden administration has been criticized for failing to issue even the usual statements in response to the UN’s suspension of aid operations in Gaza. Legal experts warn that blocking humanitarian aid and attacking aid workers could constitute war crimes under international law.
The World Food Programme’s recent announcement that its vehicle was targeted by Israeli gunfire underscores the extreme risks aid workers face in Gaza. The UN has called for a seven-day humanitarian pause in the conflict to allow safe passage for aid and workers, but there is little indication that such a pause will be implemented.
Despite the urgency of the situation, U.S. diplomatic efforts have primarily focused on reaching a ceasefire rather than addressing the immediate need for humanitarian access. Advocates argue that the U.S. administration’s silence on Israel’s actions only serves to perpetuate the suffering of Gaza’s civilians.
The Biden administration has signaled some willingness to support polio vaccination efforts in Gaza, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicating cooperation with the Israeli government. However, the lack of a formal plan and the absence of clear communication with Gaza’s Ministry of Health have raised doubts about the effectiveness of these efforts.
Critics argue that the Biden administration’s focus on achieving a ceasefire, while important, should not come at the expense of immediate humanitarian needs. The administration’s approach has been described as aiding and abetting Israel’s actions without holding it accountable for the humanitarian crisis.
The Biden administration’s reluctance to publicly criticize Israel’s restrictions on aid has been a source of concern for advocates. They argue that the U.S. should leverage its significant military aid to Israel to ensure the free flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
However, there is little hope that the administration will take such action, and its silence on the matter is seen as a troubling endorsement of Israel’s conduct. This silence is viewed as a continuation of the U.S.’s historically close relationship with Israel, despite the severe humanitarian consequences.
In addition to ongoing military support for Israel, the recent appointment of Mira Resnick, a strong advocate for weapons transfers to Israel, as the new deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, has further signaled the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Israel.
This has led to concerns that the U.S. is willing to overlook or even condone the suffering of Gaza’s civilians in favor of maintaining its strategic alliance with Israel. Critics argue that this stance is indicative of the administration’s broader indifference to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
