US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday announced more than $400 million in new humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, while again calling on Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal which he described as the most effective way to address humanitarian devastation.
The top US diplomat, speaking at an emergency humanitarian aid conference in Jordan, also called on nations to give more aid to support those in the war-torn strip.
The humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza has become catastrophic over the course of Israel’s eight-month war against Hamas. The Israeli government restricted access and items that managed to reach the strip. Aid organizations have had to contend with destroyed infrastructure that has inhibited their ability to deliver critically needed aid, and aid workers have been caught in the crossfire.
“The crisis in Gaza is immense,” acknowledged Blinken.
“Only a third of the current UN appeal is funded. That leaves a deficit of approximately $2 billion to $3 billion. All countries can help fill this gap. However, some who have expressed great concern about the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, including countries with the capacity to give much, have provided very little – or nothing,” Blinken said, without naming specific countries. “It’s time for everyone, everyone, to step forward.”
The new $404 million in U.S. funding will go toward “food, clean water, health care, protection, education, shelter and psychosocial support,” according to a State Department news release.
In his remarks on Tuesday, Blinken said that “particularly in recent months, Israel has taken some important steps to open more crossings, to address obstacles to providing assistance, but it can and must do more.”
“As we communicated directly to the Israeli government, it is crucial to speed up inspection trucks and reduce delays, provide greater clarity and reduce the list of banned products, increase visas for humanitarian workers and process them more quickly, to create clearer channels and effective ways for humanitarian groups to resolve conflicts with IDF operations, increase life-saving medicines and equipment, and provide everything needed to repair water and sanitation systems,” he said.
“And Israel must take new steps to reduce civilian casualties, even as it confronts an enemy that started this war with the barbaric massacre of civilians on October 7,” Blinken said.
Despite Blinken’s claims about “important steps” taken by the Israeli government, aid workers say the situation on the ground has only worsened, especially as the Israeli military has intensified operations in Rafah, where millions of Palestinians have previously fled. Blinken himself acknowledged in his Tuesday remarks that “more than a million people have been displaced from Rafah in the last month alone – many of whom had already been uprooted multiple times.”
“The situation has returned to one of its lowest points, which is quite shocking at this time,” said Arnaud Quemin, Mercy Corps Middle East director.
There was an “ecosystem” for humanitarian aid work in Rafah – some non-governmental organizations and UN agencies provide logistical facilities, others provide transport, “everyone works together to make this possible”, he described to CNN. But with the Israeli military operation taking place since the beginning of May, “it could no longer work, it simply stopped”.
International officials and humanitarian workers have described the situation in Gaza as unprecedented in its complexity and scope. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Tuesday’s conference that “the speed and scale of the carnage and killing in Gaza is beyond anything in my years as Secretary-General.”
The top US diplomat, in his remarks, stressed that the US sees Hamas as the only obstacle to a ceasefire that would alleviate humanitarian suffering.
“Today, as we gather, one, and only one, thing stands in the way of the agreement happening, and that thing is Hamas,” he said. “So my main and first message today to all governments, to all multilateral institutions, to all humanitarian organizations who want to alleviate the massive suffering in Gaza: get Hamas to accept the deal.”
Others also emphasized the need for a ceasefire to allow humanitarian work.
“The status quo cannot be maintained. Without a political agreement that supports a ceasefire, the humanitarian assistance system is driven to collapse,” said Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at Tuesday’s conference.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
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