US says Netanyahu directed Katz to ensure 350 trucks of aid enter Gaza each day

The Israeli security cabinet voted last week to increase the amount of aid entering Gaza to 250 trucks per day, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reveals during a press briefing.

The US sent Israel a letter demanding a series of steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that failure to adopt those measures risks placing Israel out of compliance with US law, which bars the transfer of weapons to countries that block humanitarian aid from civilians.

One of the letter’s demands was for Israel to increase the amount of aid to 350 trucks a day.

While Israel fell short of this and other demands, the US said it had made enough progress in meeting them to maintain compliance with US law. The decision came days after the election of Donald Trump, who would likely have reversed any US decision to withhold weapons from Israel.

Miller says that Netanyahu also instructed Defense Minister Israel Katz to make every effort to ensure that Israel meets the 350 truck benchmark.

Israel has also removed 30 items from its list of “dual-use items” that are banned from entering Gaza, as requested by the US in its letter to Israel, Miller says.

Israel also expanded the Muwasi humanitarian zone by 25%, Miller adds.

The IDF is also implementing a UN plan to prepare for winter, which includes repairing roads, facilitating the entry of winter-specific aid and vaccinations for winter specific diseases, Miller says.

This series of steps are revealed for the first time by the US, apparently because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government wants to avoid criticism from its hardline supporters. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have opposed such measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, arguing that aid should be withheld in order to pressure Hamas to release the hostages.