US defense chief says more needs to be done by Israel on Gaza aid assistance

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Israel has made some progress in getting aid assistance into the Gaza Strip, but more needs to be done, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday.

"We have made some progress...but more needs to be made," Austin told reporters in Florida.

Last month, Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to their Israeli counterparts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within 30 days or risk an American arms embargo.

"I won't comment specifically on this correspondence -- me, Secretary Blinken and our counterparts -- which was not designed to be public correspondence," Austin said.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 43,500 people and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.