The UN warned on Tuesday that the current restrictions on emergency aid to Gaza are the most comprehensive since the war between Israel and Hamas began. According to the UN's children's rights organization Unicef, no trucks with aid have been allowed in for several days last week.
The difficulties in getting emergency aid into Gaza have now prompted the US government to demand action from Israel.
Point list
In a letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, Israel is urged to improve the humanitarian situation within 30 days - otherwise, there is a risk that the military support from the US will be affected. The letter is addressed to Israeli ministers Yoav Gallant and Ron Dermer.
Among other things, the US government demands that at least 350 trucks with aid be allowed in daily into Gaza. The letter also includes demands that aid organizations be given continuous access to northern Gaza.
The US ministers refer to a law that, according to them, prohibits recipients of military support from the US from hindering American emergency aid.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, says that the emergency aid reaching Gaza has "decreased by over 50 percent".
Our hope is that Israel will make the changes we have described and recommended, and as a result of these changes, there will be a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid, he says.
UN: Worsening situation
James Elder, spokesperson for Unicef, states that there is currently a "desperate need" to increase the amount of emergency aid to Gaza.
August was the month when the least humanitarian aid came into Gaza Strip in a whole month since the war broke out. We are now seeing what is probably the worst restrictions we have seen for humanitarian emergency aid, ever, he says.
According to Unicef, no food aid has been allowed into that part of Gaza at all during the month of October.
