President Joe Biden strongly criticized Israel on Friday following a tragic stampede incident involving an aid convoy in Gaza the previous day. He emphasized that there should be absolutely no justifications for the lack of humanitarian aid reaching the territory amidst the ongoing conflict.
“We're trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas, the hostages being returned, and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks.”
— Pres. Biden, who also said there are “no excuses” for Israel not to “facilitate” more aid “for the entire Gaza Strip” pic.twitter.com/LdDPtY3o5G
— The Recount (@therecount) March 1, 2024
During a visit by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Biden delivered a speech at the White House. In his address, he made an important announcement that the United States would be initiating airdrops of aid into Gaza. This move aligns the U.S. with other nations, including Jordan, who have already provided aid to Gaza through similar means.
Israel has consistently emphasized that it is not the main obstacle preventing aid from reaching Gaza. Instead, they argue that the United Nations is failing in its responsibility to effectively distribute the aid. Furthermore, Israeli officials have expressed concerns that a significant portion, estimated to be between 50% to 60%, of the aid is being stolen by Hamas terrorists.
Recently, an Israeli government spokesperson informed reporters that Israel possesses the capacity to allow an “unlimited” amount of aid into Gaza. However, they highlighted that the United Nations is only distributing approximately 80% of the aid.
A report emerged on Thursday, revealing that the United Nations is intentionally withholding resources from agencies other than the UN Relief and Works Agency. This agency has been linked to terror activities and has lost support from many international funders. Tragically, around 100 Palestinians lost their lives on Thursday as they rushed towards incoming aid trucks. Israeli troops, who reportedly felt threatened by some individuals in the crowd, initially fired warning shots and then acted in self-defense.
Israel maintains that its troops are responsible for only ten of the deaths and denies any wrongdoing. However, the United Nations and European Union leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, have placed blame on Israel. Macron even accused Israel of deliberately targeting the Palestinian civilians who were killed, despite Israel’s intention to provide humanitarian aid.
In response to the incident, the United States has demanded an explanation from Israel. Some White House reporters, who hold anti-Israel views, have suggested that Israel cannot be trusted to conduct its own investigation. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, emphasized that this incident underscores the urgent need to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
