US 'closely tracking Israel's actions' to improve situation for Palestinians in Gaza: Envoy

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The US is pressing Israel to take additional steps to address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, American envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council on Monday.

"I won't mince words," Thomas-Greenfield said, adding that "the situation in the Middle East requires an urgent diplomatic solution."

"For more than a year, we've seen devastating civilian suffering in Israel and Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. We've seen upheaval and unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies," she stated.

She stressed President Joe Biden administration’s commitment to ending the war, stating, "Secretary (Anthony) Blinken has stated it is time to end the war, and he is committed to doing everything possible to achieve that."

"Israel accomplished the goal it set out for itself, dismantling Hamas' military organization and eliminating Hamas' leadership responsible for October 7," she said, accusing Hamas of refusing to negotiate.

Noting that "Israel must also urgently take additional steps to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza," she also outlined steps the US is urging Israel to take to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

"The United States has been specific about what exactly Israel must do to improve the situation for Palestinian civilians. We're closely tracking Israel's actions in this regard and engaging with its leaders every single day, and there has been some progress," Thomas-Greenfield added.

Saying that "Israel is currently working to implement 12 of the 15 steps we have outlined," the US envoy further emphasized the need "to see all steps fully implemented and sustained, and we need to see concrete improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground."

"That includes Israel allowing commercial trucks to move into Gaza alongside humanitarian assistance. This is crucial to avoiding famine," she added.

She emphasized the need for "real and extended pauses in fighting and combat in large areas of Gaza," allowing aid to reach those in desperate need.

Accusing Iran of exacerbating the conflict, she said: "This conflict was stoked and exploited by Iran, which provided support to regional proxies and partners and directly put millions of innocent Israelis, Palestinians, and Lebanese civilians at risk."

Thomas-Greenfield reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel's security while cautioning against measures that could undermine peace efforts.

"US military support alone will not solve Israel's security challenges and protect its people, nor will proposals to annex the West Bank or construct Israeli settlements in Gaza, which, if implemented, would sow the seeds of further instability and create new obstacles to full integration of Israel into the region," she warned.