US warns Israel against forcible displacement, starvation in Gaza

The United States stressed at the United Nations that “there must be no forcible displacement, nor policy of starvation in Gaza” by Israel, warning such policies would have grave implications under U.S. and international law.

The remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield came just hours after Washington said its ally Israel was doing enough to address the humanitarian crisis in Israel to avoid facing potential restrictions on U.S. military aid.

“Still, Israel must ensure its actions are fully implemented – and its improvements sustained over time,” Thomas-Greenfield told the U.N. Security Council.

It was also urgently important that Israel pause implementation of a law banning the operation of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, she added.

The council met over a report by global hunger experts that said there was a “strong likelihoodthat famine is imminent in areas” of northern Gaza as Israel pursues a military offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the area.

“Most of Gaza is now a wasteland of rubble,” acting U.N. aid chief Joyce Msuya told the council. “As I brief you, Israeli authorities are blocking humanitarian assistance from entering North Gaza, where fighting continues, and around 75,000 people remain with dwindling water and food supplies,” she said.

Did Israel meet US Gaza aid requirements?

Israel has said it met most of the 16 specific demands put forward by Washington but was still discussing some items. International aid groups, however, said that Israel failed to meet any of them completely.

In an Oct. 13 letter, the U.S. gave 30 days to comply.