Wed Oct 16 08:44:08 UTC 2024: ## US Demands Israel Boost Gaza Aid, Threatens to Cut Military Funding

**Beirut, Lebanon/Washington, D.C. -** Tensions in the Middle East escalated Wednesday as Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting a Hezbollah underground weapons warehouse. The strikes followed an Israeli evacuation order urging residents to leave areas near Hezbollah facilities. The attacks come a day after the United States expressed concerns about such strikes to Israeli officials.

Meanwhile, the US is demanding that Israel significantly increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza within the next month or face potential cuts to US military aid. In a letter to top Israeli officials, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and urged Israel to take immediate action to reverse the trajectory.

The letter specifically requests Israel to:

* Allow at least 350 trucks to enter Gaza daily through four crossings.
* Open a fifth entry point for aid.
* Implement pauses in fighting to enable aid delivery.
* Rescind evacuation orders for Palestinian civilians when not operationally necessary.

Failure to meet these demands, the letter states, could have “implications for US policy… and relevant US law,” referencing the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits military aid to countries hindering US humanitarian assistance.

The US’s push for increased humanitarian aid comes as Israel intensifies its offensive against Hamas in northern Gaza and ramps up attacks on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are designated as terrorist groups by the US and receive support from Iran.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with aid deliveries drastically decreasing over the past months. The US has previously stated that Israel may have violated international humanitarian law using US-supplied weapons during its military operation in Gaza.

The latest developments add a new layer of complexity to the already fraught situation in the Middle East. The US is attempting to balance its support for Israel with its concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the potential for further escalation of the conflict.

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