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SvennoJ on 28 February 2024
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‘Absolutely clear’ Gaza needs more aid crossings: US official

Samantha Power, the administrator of the US’s international development agency, USAID, has paid a visit to the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Citing “deteriorating” conditions in Gaza, Power said in a video message from the border that it is “a matter of life and death” that “far more” aid crossings are opened.

Power said that the US is talking to Israeli officials in order to make this happen, however, the US has been urging Israel for months to open additional crossings into Gaza to no avail. Israel said it would open the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing between Israel and the Strip. However, it has often been shuttered as well as blocked by Israeli protesters trying to prevent aid from entering.

Report: US considers dropping aid on Gaza

As ground deliveries of humanitarian aid in Gaza have slowed, despite the US and other countries and humanitarian bodies urging Israel to facilitate delivery, the US is considering providing aid directly to Palestinians in Gaza via air, a report from US news site Axios says.

“The situation is really bad. We are unable to get enough aid [in] by truck, so we need desperate measures like airdrops,” one of four anonymous US officials cited by Axios said.

The fact that Biden is considering this move underscores the difficulty his administration has had in getting Israel to comply with its demands. The UN says that aid deliveries to and in the Strip have sharply fallen this month, and the majority of reasons cited for this have much to do with Israel either blocking or hampering efforts to distribute life-saving food, water, medicine and fuel to people in extreme need.

Why not bring it in by ship? Gaza city has a small port, can dock tenders ferrying back and forth.

Maybe Israel destroyed it too much or doesn't want ships there.

The IDF controls the Port of Gaza now, I'm guessing they won't give any safety to Humanitarian aid ships... Shooting at everything that moves on the water.

Februari 24th
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240224-israeli-navy-fires-at-gaza-fishermen/

It seems to be another frequent atrocity. Going back to long before Oct 7

Sept 18 https://imemc.org/article/israeli-navy-shoot-two-fisherman-in-southern-gaza/
Sept 8 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230908-israel-navy-shoots-sewage-water-at-gaza-fishermen/
Feb 24 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240224-israeli-navy-fires-at-gaza-fishermen/
Jan 8 https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/132709

That last link says it's been a problem since 2007 when the Israeli Navy put a blockade on Gaza.

So I guess no relief agency wants to risk meeting trigger happy gunboats or get in the way of the Israeli navy while they're shelling gaza from the sea. Not that Biden doesn't have any levers to force Israel in this.... Park a US navy boat there. (Although the Iraelis have sunk US navy boat before USS Liberty)

Campaign slams Biden’s statement following primary win

The “Listen to Michigan” campaign, which pushed voters to mark themselves as “uncommitted” in the state’s Democratic presidential primary yesterday in opposition to the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza, slammed a statement from the White House that made no mention of Gaza or the plight of the Palestinians.

“Quite frankly, Biden’s statement last night did not unite this party nor seek to unite this party. His statement last night ignored the more than 100,000 voters who showed up and asked of him to stand with the children of God, to stand against war crimes, to stand for peace and a ceasefire,” the statement reads.

“Yesterday showed that the center of the Democratic Party has moved on Palestine. Michigan has made our voices clear through our vote. It’s President Biden’s turn to tell us where he stands.”

US congresswoman slams Netanyahu’s ‘dishonesty’, calls for ceasefire

Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, who recently returned from a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, has become the latest US legislator to urge ending the war on Gaza. Dean said while Israel has a right to defend itself, the assault on Gaza goes beyond self-defence.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s dishonesty – his broken promises to use precision strikes to protect civilians and his false claims that safe zones have been created and enforced – is unacceptable,” the congresswoman said in a statement.

She accused Netanyahu of waging a war against civilians, adding that “no war against civilians is just”.

Israeli FM issues directive against unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has issued a directive against “international diktats” regarding a Palestinian state to envoys abroad. The move comes as countries around the world insist that Palestinians must have a state if the conflict is to be permanently solved, and reports that some governments are considering recognition of Palestinian statehood, which Israel objects to.

“Israel utterly rejects international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians,” the directive, which passed with the approval of 99 out of 120  members of the Israeli parliament, states.

“Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state,” it adds.

Many Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, have consistently stated that they will never allow a sovereign Palestinian state.