US: Israel Must Allow Food, Water And Humanitarian Aid To Enter Gaza According To International Humanitarian Law

Children queue for food in Gaza. (Twitter/@UNRWA)

JAKARTA - The United States is deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, particularly in northern Gaza, the State Department said on Wednesday, adding it was a very urgent topic of discussion between Washington and Israel.

"This has been the subject of some very urgent discussions between our two governments," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

"We have explained to the Israeli government that they have an obligation based on international humanitarian law to allow food and water as well as other humanitarian assistance needed to enter the entire Gaza region, and we fully hope they comply with these obligations," he explained.

The United Nations World Food Program said on Wednesday that aid entering the Gaza Strip had fallen to its lowest level in months, forcing the agency to stop distributing food packages this month.

"If the flow of aid is not continued, one million vulnerable people will lose this life path," he said,

Miller added that closing crossing points, security issues, and disruption to routes on crossings limit aid deliveries.

Last week Reuters reported food supplies to Gaza had declined sharply in recent weeks, as Israeli authorities have introduced new customs rules on some humanitarian aid and separately reduced shipments organized by businesses, according to people involved in shipping goods to the war-torn region.

Miller on Wednesday was asked separately about reports, including those from CNN and Al Jazeera, regarding several Palestinians fleeing Israel's updated military operations site in northern Gaza being shot as they fled.

"We have seen the report. I cannot speak about the details, but it is clearly unacceptable. If they are Palestinian civilians who escaped who were shot by Israeli forces, it is unacceptable. We hope the Israeli government investigates, and, if appropriate, we hope they hold full responsibility to the people," he explained.