Israel violated US directive regarding aid to Gaza, USAID officials say in report

According to a confidential United States document reviewed by Devex, Israeli actions have been deemed non-compliant with a White House directive mandating recipients of American military aid to adhere to international humanitarian law and allow unhindered delivery of US-funded humanitarian assistance.

The recent findings, released earlier this month, come after a national security memo was issued by the White House on 8 February. The memo instructed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to “obtain credible and reliable written assurances” from recipients of US weapons regarding their commitment to abide by international humanitarian law.

These findings are to be reported to both the White House and Congress. In the case of Israel, this requirement would pertain only to offensive weapons.

In a submission to Blinken, USAID officials assessed that the "government of Israel (GOI) does not currently demonstrate necessary compliance” with the memo’s requirement that it facilitate and not impede “the transport of delivery of United States humanitarian assistance” as well as US-backed international efforts to provide relief, Devex reported.

The USAID document raised significant concerns regarding the death toll of nearly 32,000 people, with approximately two-thirds assessed by the Government of Israel (GOI) as civilians. It suggested that these casualties might potentially constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. However, it noted that a definitive conclusion would depend on thorough analysis by US government legal experts.