What happened
The Biden administration warned Israel in an Oct. 13 letter that U.S. military aid was at risk unless the Israeli government allowed significantly more food, medicine and other humanitarian aid into Gaza within 30 days, U.S. officials confirmed Tuesday, after Axios' Barak Ravid posted the letter. The sharply worded missive, from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to their Israeli counterparts, is the "strongest such warning" in Israel's yearlong campaign to "root out Hamas militants," Reuters said.
Who said what
Blinken and Austin said to continue qualifying for military assistance under U.S. law, Israel must allow at least 350 aid trucks a day into Gaza, implement "adequate humanitarian pauses" to allow aid delivery and vaccinations, and stop isolating northern Gaza, among other demands. Their letter was sent amid "growing frustration in the administration that despite repeated and increasingly vocal requests to scale back offensive operations against Hamas, Israel's bombardment has led to unnecessary civilian deaths," The Associated Press said. Blinken made similar demands in April, but after a period of improvement, Israel reduced aid deliveries to almost nothing in recent weeks, officials said.
Israel is "highly dependent on U.S. military aid as it fights a war on several fronts," Axios said. An Israeli official said the letter "is being thoroughly reviewed" and Israel "intends to address the concerns" with U.S. officials.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The Biden team's "reluctance" Tuesday to "confirm that it would restrict arms shipments fueled immediate doubts about the seriousness of the warning," The Washington Post said. But the "30-day deadline set by the letter would fall after the election," The New York Times said, "potentially making it politically easier" for President Joe Biden to take stronger actions to ensure compliance.
-
Democrats’ strategy to woo voters for 2026: religionThe Explainer Politicians like Rob Sand and James Talarico have made a name for themselves pushing their faith
-
Pregnancy in AmericaFeature Why is it getting riskier to give birth in the U.S.?
-
The potential warning sign of an auto lender’s bankruptcyIn the Spotlight Tricolor collapse an ‘extreme example’ of economy’s challenges
-
Democrats’ strategy to woo voters for 2026: religion
The Explainer Politicians like Rob Sand and James Talarico have made a name for themselves pushing their faith
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
How Benjamin Netanyahu shaped Israel in his own imageThe Explainer He has seldom been personally popular, but ‘King Bibi’ is an exceptionally shrewd operator
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for coup attemptSpeed Read Bolsonaro was convicted of attempting to stay in power following his 2022 election loss
-
Why does Donald Trump keep showing up at major sporting events?Today's Big Question Trump has appeared at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500 and other events
-
Judge lets Cook stay at Fed while appealing ousterSpeed Read Trump had attempted to fire Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
