Following American pressure: IDF expands humanitarian zone in Gaza
Additionally, the movement of Palestinians from north to south will be allowed.
IDF Arabic spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee announced on Saturday that the IDF is expanding the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi.
The expanded zone will include field hospitals established since the war began, tent complexes, shelter equipment, and supplies of food, water, medicines, and medical equipment brought in coordination with The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) for the international community.
The spokesperson's announcement came after the United States issued an ultimatum to Israel, demanding improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza at the threat of consequences regarding weapons supply.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, demanding that Israel take steps within 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza to avoid negative consequences regarding American weapons supply to Israel.
Blinken and Austin detailed several demands, primarily the daily transfer of 350 aid trucks to Gaza through all four current border crossings and the opening of a fifth border crossing. The letter emphasized that Israel must implement humanitarian pauses throughout Gaza to allow aid distribution for at least the next four months.
The letter called to allow Gazans more movement before winter
Blinken and Austin also demanded that Israel stop the isolation of northern Gaza and officially announce that it has no intention of evacuating northern Gaza residents to the south.
In their letter to Gallant and Dermer, they also demanded that Israel allow Palestinians concentrated in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone to move eastward away from the coastal area before winter.
Last week, the State Attorney's Office claimed that humanitarian aid is currently being allowed into northern Gaza, and given the amount of aid that entered before October, there is no food shortage in the northern Strip.
This was stated in response to a petition filed by several organizations, including Gisha. The petition requested the court issue an order directing the state not to stop transferring humanitarian aid to northern Gaza.
The petition also detailed that 217 humanitarian aid trucks entered northern Gaza from mid-October until the end of the month. Therefore, the State Attorney's Office requested the court not to issue an order directing the state to open crossings to the northern Strip, as these are already open.
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