U.S. welcomes more Israeli aid to Gaza, urges protection of civilians

The United States welcomes Israel’s latest efforts to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday, but said success would be measured by results that improve the situation on the ground.

“The real proof is in the results, and we’ll see those unfold in the coming days, the coming weeks,” Blinken said in a speech alongside EU leaders in Belgium.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday threatened to condition support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza on specific measures to protect aid workers and civilians, seeking for the first time to use U.S. aid to influence Israel’s military conduct.

Asked about Israel’s actions following Biden’s shift, Blinken told reporters that Washington would be “closely watching” specific indicators such as the number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip and the evolution of the risk of famine.

He also said Israel needs to “do everything possible to protect civilians” and ensure that people are safe from attacks, adding: “We can no longer allow so many people to be killed or injured in crossfire.”