Israeli officials promise to quickly improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip after Washington warned that it could cease arms supplies to the Jewish state, US media reported, citing sources.
On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, threatening to impose an arms embargo on Israel if the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is not resolved within a month.
"We received the American letter and it was examined by the security establishment. Israel takes the issue very seriously and we will respond to the concerns that our American colleagues raised in the letter," one Israeli official was quoted as saying by the news portal on Wednesday.
Israel has been repeatedly accused of obstructing humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip and imposing strict restrictions on the transportation of humanitarian goods. However, the Jewish state denies these claims, publishing reports according to which more than 900,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid have been delivered to the Palestinian enclave in less than a year.
"We have seen some improvement in last few days," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a news briefing on Wednesday, when asked about the humanitarian situation in the enclave, in reference to the letter to Israel calling for an increase in aid to Gaza.
Among actions taken by the Israeli government, Miller mentioned reopening the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza in addition to opening a new route from southern Gaza to northern Gaza. He also added that aid deliveries from Jordan had been resumed.
"Fifty trucks with food, water and other humanitarian goods went in yesterday," Miller added.
The official stressed that the US wants to see Israeli authorities take additional steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, resulting in more trucks coming in and more food and water getting in to meet the basic needs of civilians.