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The Trump administration has backed Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Some shit you should know before you read: Back when President Biden was in office, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal brokered with the help of the US and Qatar. The terms outlined a three-phase process: Phase 1 involved a temporary halt to fighting, the release of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Phase 2 was supposed to involve the release of additional hostages, a significant withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire. Phase 3 aimed to secure the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of all remaining hostages, and a lasting truce. As Phase 1 neared its end, Israel proposed extending it rather than moving to Phase 2, arguing that more hostages could be released under the current framework. Hamas rejected this proposal, insisting that the process move to the next stage as initially agreed, which included Israel’s military withdrawal and a commitment to ending the war. This ultimately led Israel to halt all humanitarian aid and goods entering Gaza.
What’s going on now: The Trump administration has backed Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid into Gaza, arguing that Hamas’ refusal to agree to an extended Phase 1 left Israel with no choice. US officials said that Israel had acted in “good faith” throughout the negotiations and blamed Hamas for derailing the process by rejecting the proposed extension of Phase 1. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes noted that Hamas “indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire,” and therefore, the US would support Israel’s next steps.
What’s next: In addition to its diplomatic backing, the US announced an expedited $4 billion military aid package to Israel, reversing previous restrictions imposed by the Biden administration. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “I have signed a declaration to use emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump.” While Secretary Rubio did not disclose what types of military aid would be provided to Israel, many believe that Israel will receive heavy munitions that President Biden previously withheld due to concerns about civilians being killed.
Criticism from Arab nations: In response to Israel’s move, Egypt and Qatar (two key nations involved in the ceasefire negotiations), condemned the decision to block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called the blockade a “flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian law” and accused Israel of using aid as a weapon of “collective punishment and starvation.” Abdelatty warned that Israel’s actions could derail future negotiations and worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Qatar accused Israel of trying to “sabotage” the peace process. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson added that Israel was “deliberately creating unbearable conditions” for Palestinians.
