SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
The Biden administration has sent a letter to Israel saying it must improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within 30 days or face possible consequences regarding U.S. military aid. For more on this, we are joined by NPR's Greg Myre. Hey, Greg.
GREG MYRE, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.
DETROW: What more can you tell us about this letter?
MYRE: Well, it's a letter signed by both the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and the defense secretary, Lloyd Austin. Now, it says the U.S. sees a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and that the amount of aid entering the territory was lower last month than any month in the past year. It says trucks with perishable food funded by the U.S. are being delayed at crossing points into Gaza. And as you noted, it gives Israel 30 days to improve the conditions.
The National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, said the letter is not a threat, but it is meant to express the U.S. sense of urgency. The letter doesn't say what the consequences might be if Israel fails to respond, though clearly withholding military aid could be an option.
DETROW: We'll get into that in a moment. But first, let's just spend a moment here talking about Gaza itself. The conditions in northern Gaza are particularly bleak right now. Can you describe the situation?
MYRE: Yeah. Israeli military operations against Hamas have focused on northern Gaza the past couple weeks - in particular, the Jabalia refugee camp, which is on the edge of Gaza City. Now, at the same time, aid groups say Israel has effectively cut off food aid. The U.N. says no food deliveries have reached northern Gaza for the past 12 days, though hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are seeking shelter there. As we know, Scott, most Palestinians have already evacuated multiple times, many going from the north of Gaza to the south. And now many are coming back to the north, yet they say there's no safe place, and they're still accounting for many of the casualties.
DETROW: So, back to the letter - the administration has warned Israel so many times now about conditions for Gaza civilians, but it's really taken little action. Why would this time be any different?
MYRE: Scott, there's no guarantee it will be different this time, but President Biden has expressed frustration with the way Israel has been conducting aspects of the war, especially when it comes to Palestinian civilians. And then there's just the blunt reality of politics. The Biden administration has been reluctant to act publicly against Israel in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election. But this letter gives Israel 30 days, and that would take us to the middle of November - after the U.S. election. So President Biden may feel he has more room to act after the election.
DETROW: At the same time, we should note the U.S. is also sending additional military support to Israel. What can you tell us?
MYRE: Yeah, the Pentagon says a U.S. advance team is now in Israel to set up a cutting-edge air defense system known as THAAD. This is to guard against any additional ballistic missile strikes by Iran. About 100 U.S. troops are required to run a THAAD battery. The Pentagon says the battery will be operational in the near future. Israel says it will respond to this - that Iranian missile attack two weeks ago. However, it increasingly looks like it will be a limited response. An official with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, told NPR that Israel will target Iranian military sites, not oil or nuclear facilities.
DETROW: Got it. That's NPR's Greg Myre. Thank you, Greg.
MYRE: Sure thing, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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