Is the US complicit in the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
As Israel continues its assault on Gaza, there is growing concern over humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave.
Before the Israel-Hamas war, more than 500 aid trucks entered Gaza every day through the Karem Abu Salem crossing with Israel and the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
Those deliveries halted when Israel imposed a complete blockade on October 7 after Hamas carried out attacks on southern Israel.
Israel has temporarily reopened the route through Karem Abu Salem, called Kerem Shalom by Israel, to allow in more humanitarian aid.
At least 24 trucks have been allowed through – but the deliveries are far short of fulfilling the needs of 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.
Should the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, be doing more to help the Palestinians? And how complicit is Washington in the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded?
Presenter: Cyril Vanier
Guests:
Robert Hunter – senior fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University
Khaled Elgindy – senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and its director of Palestine and Israel-Palestinian affairs
Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison – director of development and expansion at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee