US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone Friday with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, with the pair reviewing the steps Israel has taken to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to a State Department readout, which said the top Biden administration official urged further actions to surge aid to civilians in the enclave.
The call comes 12 days before a deadline set by the US for Israel to drastically improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Dermer and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on October 13, warning that failure to address the humanitarian crisis within 30 days could have legal implications for continued US offensive weapons shipments to Israel because recipients of such aid are legally barred from blocking humanitarian assistance. (Read More)