Wed Sep 25 04:02:09 UTC 2024: ## US Government Divided Over Israel’s Blockade of Aid to Gaza, Despite Evidence of Famine
**WASHINGTON** – A new investigation reveals a deep rift within the Biden administration over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite two independent reports concluding that Israel deliberately blocked deliveries of food and medicine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected the findings and continued to authorize billions of dollars in weapons sales to Israel.
The investigation, conducted by ProPublica, reveals that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) both concluded that Israel was violating US law by impeding humanitarian aid to Gaza.
USAID’s 17-page memo detailed numerous instances of Israeli interference, including attacks on aid workers, bombing of hospitals, and denying passage of food and medicine shipments. The PRM also determined that the situation met the criteria for triggering the Foreign Assistance Act, which would require the US to freeze $830 million in military aid to Israel.
However, Blinken, citing assurances from the Israeli government, dismissed these findings and stated that the US “does not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting” aid. This decision was supported by the US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, who argued that the Israeli government should be trusted to facilitate aid deliveries despite evidence to the contrary.
The report also highlights a striking internal conflict within the State Department, with experts on the ground reporting a drastically lower amount of aid reaching Gaza than what the Israeli government claimed. Notably, Stacy Gilbert, a senior civil military advisor in the PRM, resigned in protest over the administration’s decision to ignore their findings, calling the official report “absurd and shameful.”
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with a confirmed polio outbreak and widespread hunger due to the ongoing blockade. Experts warn that the situation has not improved despite Blinken’s assurances, highlighting the administration’s failure to adequately address the humanitarian crisis.
This revelation raises serious questions about the Biden administration’s commitment to humanitarian aid and its willingness to prioritize US-Israel relations over the suffering of Palestinians. The report emphasizes the urgent need for a transparent and independent investigation into the situation in Gaza and for the US government to prioritize the delivery of critical aid to those in desperate need.
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