US Agencies Conclude Israel Blocks Aid to Gaza

A report by USAID and the State Department concluded that Israel was deliberately obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, documenting severe instances of interference including attacks on aid workers and the destruction of medical facilities. Despite this, Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly rejected the findings, asserting that Israel was not blocking U.S. humanitarian assistance, which has raised concerns about compliance with U.S. law that could mandate cutting off military aid to Israel. The memo highlighted that lifelines of food aid were stockpiled in Israeli ports but were not allowed to reach Palestinians, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, which now includes famine and a polio outbreak. This internal contradiction within the Biden administration reflects a significant rift regarding military support for Israel amid ongoing violence and humanitarian needs in Gaza. Prominent lawmakers have also urged President Biden to reconsider arms shipments to Israel given these findings, raising the stakes for U.S. foreign policy in the region.