In response to a deadly strike by Israel that killed seven aid workers in Gaza, President Biden had a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he expressed that the strike was unacceptable. As a result, Israel has approved the opening of three humanitarian aid corridors that were requested by President Biden. The Erez Crossing, Port of Ashdod, and Kerem Shalom border crossing will be opened to allow for humanitarian deliveries, preventing a humanitarian crisis and working towards achieving the goals of the conflict.
President Biden emphasized the need for Israel to take specific, concrete steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He stressed the importance of an immediate ceasefire to stabilize the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians. The U.S. policy towards Gaza will depend on Israel’s actions in response to these concerns. The strike on the aid workers has strained the U.S.-Israel relationship, as the U.S. has significant leverage over Israel as its main supplier of weapons and military equipment.
The head of World Central Kitchen, the charity organization that lost workers in the strike, accused Israel of deliberately targeting the workers, despite the organization’s communication of their movements to the Israeli Defense Forces. Israel’s economy minister dismissed these accusations as “nonsense” and expressed deep regret for the mistake. The U.S. has no plans to conduct an independent investigation into the strike and will leave the investigation to the Israelis.
The relationship between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu has been tense, with public disagreements and cancelations of visits. President Biden has expressed concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza and has called for an immediate ceasefire. Netanyahu has disagreed with Biden’s stance, leading to strained relations between the two leaders. The U.S. will continue to have tough conversations with Israel regarding the conflict and humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Overall, the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and will base its policy towards Israel on the actions taken by the Israeli government to address civilian harm and humanitarian suffering. President Biden has emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and concrete steps to protect innocent civilians. The opening of humanitarian aid corridors is a step towards relieving the ongoing crisis in Gaza and preventing further harm to civilians. The U.S.-Israel relationship remains strained as the conflict continues to escalate.
